Ah My Demoness!
by StarEyed2
Summary: Hild has Urd in a tight spot, and the only way out is to agree to her terms. Based on OMG TV, full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Ah! My Goddess! does not belong to me, but to someone else. I am writing this purely for fun and am making no profit off of it. In fact, I'm probably loosing money, as it takes up time I could be using to do something else that **does** earn money.

* * *

Based on Ah My Goddess! TV, season 2, episode 17.

The AMG TV series is based on the manga but several events take place differently, as does the order of events. In the preceding two episodes Marller split Urd into her goddess and demon halves. Skuld's invention manages to merge them both together but only in body. The two personalities are still split and Urd's souls balance is tipped, causing her demon side to begin to lose its memories and it will eventually disappear, leaving an Urd who is purely a goddess. They call Hild for help, with the episode ending pretty much as the story did in the manga.

This story attempt to answer the question;

What if Urd's soul had tipped towards her demon side instead, and it was her goddess half that was disappearing?

AN: This chapter is mostly a rewrite of the episode, with only minor changes due to the changed circumstances.

* * *

"A perfect demon will be born, with no trace of the divine," Demon Urd said.

"Do you really want that?" Goddess Urd asked.

"No," Demon Urd admitted. "I like me the way I am, half demon, and half goddess. Even I don't like me when I'm a pure demon. You balance me."

She paused for a moment as she realised just how confused those sentences were. But really, there was no non confusing way of saying something like that, especially when she was talking to herself (more or less).

"So what do we do?" Goddess Urd asked.

"We fix it."

"Is that true?" Skuld demanded. She, Belldandy, Keiichi and Marller were still sitting around the table where Urd had left them, as Belldandy explained what they had been seeing with Urd.

"Yes, at this rate goddess-Urd will completely disappear."

"No way…"

"Why should I care?" Mara demanded. "That's what I wanted, remember?"

"Because without her goddess side Urd wouldn't be Urd," Belldandy replied. "You saw how it was like when she was split. She won't be quite so unstable since she will incorporate some of the traits that were present only in her divine half, but she won't be the Urd we know either."

"Is there anyway?" Keiichi asked. "You said that Kami-sama had the power to help?"

Belldandy shook her head as Skuld began to sob. "Kami-sama can return Urd's separated personalities to their original state, but…" she replied.

"He will definitely take this opportunity to rewrite her programme to make her a pure goddess," Skuld finished.

"Nothing can be done then?" Keiichi asked glumly, looking down at the table.

"Have you guys already forgotten what I said?" Marller demanded, sounding slightly exasperated. The other three looked at her in surprise. "Frankly speaking I don't really want to do it but…"

"There is one way," Urd added from her stance in the doorway. She had arrived back in time to hear the end of their conversation.

"Urd," Keiichi said in surprise.

"As Marller said, there is one person," Demon Urd continued. "If we negotiate the person with power comparable to Kami-sama's might be willing."

"If it's that lady…" Mara said, sounding almost scared.

"That lady?" Keiichi asked.

"Daimakaicho, Hild." Urd told him.

The other's gasped in a mixture of surprise and fear as a shiver ran down their spines at the name. Sweat beaded on Mara's forehead as she suppressed a shudder. Staring down at the tabletop she looked more than a little frightened. In comparison Urd seemed unnaturally calm.

"This is our answer," goddess Urd concluded, as the two halves switched. "We don't want to forget, to become someone other than we are, half goddess, half demon. Am I disqualified as a goddess?"

"No," Belldandy said fondly, looking rather proud of her sister.

Urd smiled. "Then I'll make the call. But the price will be steep, I can tell you that now." She turned and walked down the hall, heading for the phone."

The others sat for a moment before standing and rushing for the door, peering out of the doorway and down the hall, to where Urd stood.

Urd sighed, plucking up her courage, and reached for the phone. "Okay," she muttered as she began to dial. The number was engraved in her mind, even though she had never used it before she couldn't help but remember it.

"Can she be called that easily?"

"I have no idea," Skuld admitted.

Marller just shivered. She wouldn't have dreamed of calling her boss herself but she was well aware of how anomalous it was for Urd to know the number.

"Why are you so nervous?" Skuld asked her.

"Sh…shut up!" Marller snapped. "You're lucky you don't know anything." Hild was unpredictable and terrifying.

The phone began to ring.

"Hello," Urd said when it was answered. "Yeah, it has been a long time. This is probably the first time I've called you."

"A friend?" Keiichi asked, hearing the surprisingly civil conversation.

"No, I don't think so. Maybe…" Belldandy said uncertainly.

"You know what happened right? Even though you're playing dumb, I know that you know."

She stopped suddenly, eyes widening. "H…hold on a second," she protested. "We have to prepare… Hello?" She lowered the phone, expression shocked.

"What's wrong?" Belldandy asked.

"She said she's coming now."

The other four gasped, drawing away.

"Daimakaicho-sama is coming so easily?!" Marller asked in amazement.

Urd put down the phone. "Well, yeah," she replied. "She is my mother after all."

* * *

Before anyone could recover enough to comment on Urd's revelation the sky above darkened with clouds and they jumped as lightning began to flash and wind to hurl. A lightning strike blasted apart the bell tower causing the ground to shake as a cloud of smoke billowed up. Skuld shrieked and clung on to Belldandy.

"Amazing," Belldandy breathed.

"She's here."

A whirlwind descended where the tower had once stood and when it faded a woman stood there. She looked remarkably like an older version of Urd, although Hild's skin was slightly darker and her red markings were star shaped. Even her pink and black outfit had the same basic design as Urd's with only the details differing. Her hairstyle was rather unique, however.

She stood there, smiling slightly.

"That's…Urd's…" Keiichi stammered.

The smiled widened. "Urd-chan!" Hild cried in a high excited voice, gathering Urd in a hug. "Long time no see!"

"Can't you appear more quietly?" Urd asked in a resigned tone of voice, not returning the hug.

Hild drew back slightly, to look into Urd's face. "I've already held back a lot," she pointed out. "Usually, a town like this would have been blown away."

"Is she really that powerful?" Keiichi asked as Skuld huddled closer to Belldandy.

"Yes," Belldandy admitted quietly. "The things she's wearing on her hair and arms are probably all seals."

They glanced at the head piece, the baubles on the ends of her hair, the thick cuff-like bracelets around her wrists.

"If that's the case," Belldandy continued. "Her real power is…"

Hild's voice interrupted her. "You're Belldandy?" She walked towards them as Belldandy looked up to face her and Skuld grasped her sister's waist tighter still. "And you're Skuld?"

"Hai."

Hild took hold of Skuld, tilting her face towards her. And instant later a shocked Skuld was nearly smothered by her hug. "You look just like him!" Hild gushed.

_Hild, nee-san's mother,_ Belldandy thought.

_Is she really the boss of Hell? _Skuld wondered as Hild released her.

"It's nice to meet you, Hild," Belldandy said smiling.

Hild completely ignored her in favour of glomping onto Keiichi. "You're Morisato Keiichi-kun, right?"

"Eh, e…erm, I say…" Keiichi stuttered.

"The part about not listening is just the same," commented Skuld to her oldest sister.

"Nah, I'm not that bad," replied Urd.

"How cute." Hild added. "I like boys like you."

Urd wondered how she'd gotten into a situation where her mother was coming onto her sister's boyfriend.

"I wonder what kind of desires are swirling in those honest eyed of yours?" Hild chuckled darkly. "I want to see."

Keiichi managed to pull out of her grip, eyes wide and looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

"So," Hild demanded, suddenly all business as she turned back to Urd. "Let me hear the details."

She then turned towards the temple entrance. "Oh yeah, you shouldn't run away, Ma-chan."

Marller froze and turned to face her boss. "N…no, Hild-sama. I'm not running away or anything."

Hild smirked.

* * *

"Hmmm," Hild said, from her position of floating in thin air in front of the table that the others had gathered around. "The composition of divinity and devilishness, eh? Even though it's possible, it'll be troublesome. Since this is a good chance, how about choosing a side?"

"I don't plan on doing that," replied Urd calmly as all eyes turned towards her. "Being half-goddess-half-demon is my true self."

"I can return you to normal, but would you come back to Nifelheim after that?" Hild asked.

Her sisters and Keiichi gasped in shock but Urd seemed more irritated than shocked. "I knew you would say that. But even though I'm half-goddess-half-demon I belong in Asgard."

Belldandy smiled in pride as Skuld looked amazed and Hild and Urd got into a staring match.

"Are you even in a position to set conditions?" Skuld demanded as Hild looked at her in curiosity. "That weird thing from Nifelheim was the cause of all this. It's your…"

"My blunder?" Hild asked dangerously, her eyes narrowing. Skuld flinched as Hild's eyes began to glow red. "Even if that item did come from Nifelheim, is there a problem? As long as the conflict between gods and demons doesn't involve deaths, everything is permissible, so we won't be held responsible at all. I could easily that the current situation is your responsibility because you tried to reunite Urd-chan's two halves with you inexperienced skills, Skuld-chan."

Skuld cried out in horror as beside her Urd had her eyes closed in resignation. She should have known that this would happen.

"Since my cute daughter requested it I _thought _it would have been fine if you had accepted my condition."

"Could you stop bullying my little sister?" Urd asked as Skuld seemed near to tears.

_As expected from Daimakaicho,_ Belldandy thought. _Just a stare by her freezes you._

"Well, Urd-chan? Do you accept?" Hild asked as Skuld began to cry in earnest.

"I already told you…"

Hild's expression darkened. "This isn't a choice, Urd-chan," she said harshly. "If you don't agree to come I won't help, and you become a full demon anyway. Either way, I win."

"Isn't there anything else…?" Belldandy asked.

"You have nothing else that I want."

"Three months," Urd bargained after a moment's thought, realising that Hild wasn't going to budge on her price. Her mother was right, either way she became a demon. At least this way she retained some of her goddess side. "You give me three months to get things in order after this is sorted, and then I come."

Hild smiled slightly. Having won what she wanted she could afford to be magnanimous. "Three months," she agreed, "Or the first time you use demonic magic, whichever comes first. And you call me Oka-san."

"What?" Urd blinked in surprise, the last condition having come out of nowhere.

"We're on the same side now, after all."

Urd sighed, not willing to argue. "Very well, Oka-san."

Hild smiled, the threatening demeanour once again hidden behind a whimsical mask. "Well, let's finish this." She slit open the palm of her hand with one nail, and held it out towards Urd.

"Nee-san," Belldandy said softly. "We can find another way."

Urd shook her head. "We already know what Kami-sama would say, and she's the only other one with the power to help. This is the only way I can remain as I am." She cut her own palm, and reached out to take Hild's hand. "Agreed."

There was a flash of dark light around their joined hands and when they drew them back the cuts were gone and in the centre of Urd's palm was a tiny red six pointed star.

"Witnessed," Marller said shakily, speaking for the first time since they had come inside.

"How do we know you'll keep your word?" Keiichi asked suspiciously.

"It's a contract," Urd said hastily, before Hild could reply. "The blood bond is extra security between demons, a method of enforcement, but the one thing that goddesses and demons have most in common is that they always fulfil their contracts. The only difference is the price."

"Come. Let us finish this," Hild said briskly before any more protests were raised.

* * *

"Can we trust her?" Keiichi asked Belldandy as they made their way outside.

"I think so," Belldandy replied. "As Urd said, demons are strict about contracts, and besides…"

"Bell-chan," Hild called out, beckoning Belldandy over. "Come here for a moment."

"Hai. What is it?"

"That Keiichi-kun isn't bad. There aren't many who'll stand up to us, even if it is out of ignorance. Give him to me?" she added pleadingly.

"No. You already have my sister."

"You really are just like him," Hild said, looking down at Belldandy's smiling face. "That's the part I hated most about him."

* * *

"Urd, are you alright?" Skuld asked her sister as the pair stood in the yard waiting. Urd was staring into the distance while Marller shivered beside her.

"Fine," Urd said softly. "I half expected this."

"I'm sorry," Skuld wailed. "This is all my fault."

"No," Urd corrected. "You did your best Skuld. No one can ask any more."

"Well, let's get started," Hild told them. A complex design etched itself on the ground around her, the lines filled with demonic script. Hild smiled as the light faded.

Urd frowned. It was frustrating to see such a complex working created with such ease, but it was only to be expected from the Daimakaicho. Although she was inwardly furious at being forced into such a position she couldn't deny the fact that such effortless power and control was impressive. Not that she'd ever admit it out loud. She had some pride left.

"You shouldn't act so surprised," Hild called out. "I need you to work with me from here onwards."

"Work with you?" Urd asked, surprised.

"Are you telling me to chant all 512 verses by myself?" Hild asked. "You have to help me with the goddess parts."

Urd looked at her in shock. After just getting her to agree to become a demon?

"Don't tell me you can't do it?" Hild demanded dramatically, flying forward to hover just in front of Urd, hand held in front of her mouth in mock horror. "You, the daughter of me, Daimakaicho, can't even help in singing the goddess part…" she wailed. "Ah, Kami-sama…"

Urd sighed. "Okay, I'll do it, just stop that."

Instantly Hild fell silent as Urd stretched out an arm and transformed her clothes into her goddess outfit. To either side of her Skuld and Belldandy did the same.

"Let us help you, Nee-san," Belldandy told her.

"You two…"

Hild suppressed a fond smile at her daughter's expression. "Well then, let's give it a try."

The wind began to blow and the porch light flicked out as the three goddesses and the Daimakaicho got into position.

Hild began to sing, a deep chant, as she glowed slightly with power. A moment later Urd joined in, her goddess side in control, her voice nearly indistinguishable from her mother's.

_Good, that's more like it,_ Hild thought as she felt Urd's song balance hers. This had been a profitable day, to finally reign in her wayward daughter, but both Urd's bargaining abilities and the power she now showed made her proud. Perhaps she should up the ante a little, see what the girl was really capable of.

She felt the exact moment that Urd began to falter, which was later than she expected. Urd was indeed her child, it seemed.

_I can't keep up the goddess part,_ Urd thought desperately, as the pressure of her mother's power increased.

Then a first a third and then a fourth voice joined in, both of them higher pitched than hers but weaving in to support it. Belldandy and Skuld, smiling slightly as they joined their power to her own.

_It's worth singing with them,_ Hild thought as lines of code began to spiral around Urd. All three of them had impressed her today.

Urd's eyes remained closed but Belldandy, Skuld and Keiichi watched in amazement as light spread out from the circle to engulf the neighbourhood. The song finished as the light faded.

"Welcome back, my self," Urd said softly.

Hild smiled at her. "I will see you soon, daughter."

"I know," Urd replied as Hild stretched her hand up into the air, calling down a whirlwind to take her away.

"Three months, Urd-chan," she just before she vanished in a flash of light, the clouds disappearing with her.

"Three months," Urd repeated. It was far too short a time as far as she was concerned, but a deal was a deal, and she was lucky to get that much.

Her sisters and Keiichi looked at her sympathetically, while Marller emerged from her hiding place behind Keiichi, a smirk replacing her scared expression. "Well, looks like you'll be joining me soon, _Urd-chan_."

Urd scowled, lightning forming around her fist. "Get out of here Marller."

The Demoness First Class Unlimited grinned and fled. "I'll enjoy working with you!" she called out just before she left hearing range.

Urd scowled as she realised that Marller had deliberately waited until she was out of attack range to say that.

* * *

AN: Please, read and review. I have a feeling that the dialogue is a bit messed up and would appreciate it if you would tell me where. Also, suggestions for a better summary would be welcome.

See ya!

Star


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Another episode rewrite. sigh. Unfortunately this one and the next aren't in the manga at all, so I can't just skip them. I did get to add a few short scenes of my own, however. Oh well, the fourth chapter should be entirely my own.

As before, reviews are welcomed with open arms, even nasty ones.

Star.

* * *

Urd sighed as yet another minor spell went awry. It hadn't taken long for her to realise why Hild had agreed to giving her an extra three months so easily. The Daimakaicho was taking advantage of the extra time to increase her Nidhegg linkage gradually instead of all at once.

It was an approach that had its advantages. Since she didn't face a sudden influx of large amounts of demonic energy she didn't run the risk of going berserk as she nearly had when Marller split her into her divine and demonic halves.

There was also one major downside. The constantly changing ratio of demonic to divine power meant that her control was shot to hell. Her usually careless use of magic was out of the question, she had to be careful when casting each and every spell, even those as simple and often used as her spell to convert potions to pill form. She has ruined more than one potion recently by messing that one up.

To make things worse the last two months had been rather hectic. Her mother had seemingly decided that Belldandy and Keiichi were her new pet project as although there had been no sign of her since she had 'left' there was a lingering trace of her energy that should have faded but hadn't. And some of Marller's schemes had been unusually effective recently.

The cursed teapot, for example. The trap itself was Marller's style but the 'irresistibly cute' spell had Hild's fingerprints all over it. Marller just wasn't that subtle.

Her mother's power had become background noise, an itch that grew more prominent as time passed and she became more attuned to demonic energy.

* * *

Marller's interference with Belldandy's licence was received with far less surprise than it might have been.

"Listen to me," she warned Belldandy. "If you act like a goddess then you will face misfortune."

"What should we do then?" Keiichi asked.

"Do some bad deeds," she explained. "Don't recycle the garbage, make some children cry."

"Belldandy can't do that!" Keiichi protested.

"I know. I was just joking." Urd hadn't been really, that _was_ the best way to avert trouble, but she also knew that her sister couldn't act that way.

"Why does it take so long?" Skuld demanded.

"What did they say?" Keiichi asked as Skuld put the phone down.

"They say it'll take at least a month to fix things," Skuld replied.

"That long?"

"Government offices are always like that," Urd informed him. "They took their own sweet time when I had my licence suspended too."

"And they say I'm not qualified," Skuld added.

"Qualified for what?"

"They said that a proxy recipient must be eighteen years or older. So Urd, you have to come with me."

"Then we'd better hope I'm acceptable," Urd pointed out. "I have to turn in my own licence in less than a month."

Belldandy looked up then. "This happened because of my carelessness. I should go."

"You can't even get through the gate," Urd reminded her.

"Onee-sama, it's all right. Leave it to me," Skuld declared, taking Belldandy's hands. She flinched back as electricity flashed between them.

"The symptoms are getting worse," Urd stated. "Try and stay calm." She took Belldandy's hands in her own. Unlike with Skuld no power flashed, her own control of pishogue great enough that it didn't interact with the barely contained energy within her sister.

Belldandy smiled tremulously, attempting to do as instructed.

"Onee-sama, I will fix this," Skuld vowed.

Urd nodded in agreement, privately hoping that she had less trouble with the transport than Belldandy did. They would really be in trouble then.

* * *

"Make sure that you take care of her so that she doesn't have to do magic," Urd instructed Keiichi as she and Skuld prepared to open the Gate. She looked at her sister. "I mean it, Belldandy. Demonic magic works slightly differently than you're used to. You won't be able to control it properly."

"Okay," Keiichi replied.

"I won't forgive you if something happens to Onee-sama!" Skuld added.

"Okay."

-x-x-x-

Keiichi and Belldandy had moved to the tea room after the other two left. They were currently sitting around the table, Keiichi watching Belldandy, who was looking down at the tabletop.

"I'm sorry," Belldandy said softly. "Just because I wanted my licence back so badly… It was careless of me not to check that it was correct."

"You couldn't have expected Marller to be there," Keiichi pointed out. "She's not even supposed to be able to get into Asgard. As long as we don't get into situations where you have to use magic we should be fine. Urd and Skuld will complete the procedures to correct this."

Belldandy smiled slightly, bringing an answering smile from Keiichi.

"It'll be fine," he repeated.

"Hai!"

The sound of a vehicle pulling up with brakes squealing, followed by running footsteps, caused the two to look away from each other and towards the door. Moments later the door was flung open. It was the monk who owned the temple.

"I've finished my training," the monk announced.

"Monk!" Keiichi exclaimed.

"Welcome home," Belldandy said happily.

"Belldandy-dono, it has been some time," the monk replied, sitting down at the side of the table nearest the door. "I wanted you to see the dharmic powers I've acquired from one ascetic after another so I've returned to show them to you."

He paused suddenly, rising to his knees and leaning forward to look more closely at Belldandy. "You!" he demanded as Belldandy gasped. "Who are you? You have an evil power! Do you think you can deceive me, evil spirit?! What did you do with the real Belldandy-dono?!

Within moments the two found themselves thrown out of the temple, Keiichi knocked to the ground by the books the monk had thrown at them.

* * *

"The demon's Ultimate Force may be at work," Belldandy said worriedly as they sped along the road in Keiichi's motorcycle. "Have I truly become a demon? If I can't become a goddess again I may not be able to stay with you, Keiichi-san."

"It's just until Urd completes the procedures," Keiichi assured her. "You can depend on me to help you at times like this, Belldandy. I won't abandon you."

"You're right," Belldandy replied, looking up at him.

BANG!

Keiichi cried out in shock as the front tire on his bike burst and he wrestled to bring it safely to a stop.

-x-x-x-

"I'm sorry," Belldandy said as Keiichi changed the tire. "This is probably my fault too."

"Changing tires is easy," Keiichi replied, standing up to look at her. "You don't have to be so hard on yourself." He grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

"Hai."

* * *

Unfortunately their luck didn't seem to get any better, as one person after another was unable to put them up for the night. Oddly, most of them seemed to have girls over. Even Megumi wasn't able to help.

"We're out of luck here too," Keiichi said as they walked away from his sister's apartment.

_The demon's Ultimate Force, _Belldandy thought sadly.

* * *

"It's begun," Marller said gleefully as she watched them from her position on top of a nearby roof. "Once you take that licence your misfortune will continue forever unless you vow to live as a demon!"

"Yes," Hild said, as she appeared out of nowhere. The child form of the Daimakaicho, containing a mere 1/1000th of her power, had been at Marller's side almost constantly since the goddesses had summoned her, having taken an interest in what was going on. Or maybe she was just keeping an eye on Urd. Marller wasn't about to question her boss on her motives.

"Hild-sama." Marller said respectfully, moving away from the younger looking demon.

"It's a fairly good plan for you, Ma-chan," Hild admitted, looking pleased.

"Why, of course!" Marller boasted. "I worked hard to please you this time, Hild-sama. It's too much of an honour. I'll show you a special show."

Hild paid little attention to her subordinates boasting. Instead she smiled sinisterly as she looked down on Belldandy and Keiichi. _Belldandy, how much will you amuse me this time?_

* * *

Meanwhile, in Asgard...

"Hey!" Skuld protested. "How long are you going to make us wait?!"

"I told you it's an emergency regarding a Goddess First Class, Second Category Unlimited licence," Urd added, glaring at the receptionist.

"Geez, what are you going to do if something happens to Onee-sama while we're here doing nothing?"

Peorth paused as she saw Urd and Skuld in the reception area.

"The Goddess Assistance Agency, which has 'service' as its motto… What a joke!" Urd said scornfully.

"I wonder what they're doing?" Peorth asked herself.

* * *

Their luck really did seem to be awful right now. After being turned down by all their friends they had tried to stay at the Motor Club's clubhouse, only to be chased out by Keiichi's Sempai. They hadn't even been able to buy anything to eat, as his wallet had gone missing. Even the bun he had in his pocket was expired and the weather had soon taken a turn for the worse.

They trudged through the pouring rain, Keiichi pushing his motorbike, which had broken down a few minutes ago.

"Belldandy," Keiichi called out, turning towards his girlfriend who was following behind him. "Seek shelter from the rain under the bridge up ahead."

"I can help."

"Belldandy, please."

"This motorcycle has been a good friend to us. I won't just abandon it."

Keiichi watched in horror as power gathered between her hands, remembering Urd's warning. "Stop! Remember, you can't use magic right now!"

Unsurprisingly all that happened was a minor explosion. Belldandy's eyes were wide with shock as smoke rose from the engine. She fell to her knees, crying. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Keiichi placed a hand on her shoulder, ignoring his growing cold and exhaustion. "Don't cry Belldandy."

"But…but it's my fault!"

"No, it's not. You just can't control your powers right now. Do you think I haven't noticed how many problems Urd has been having recently? The drastic decrease in the amount of spells flying around was pretty obvious. And she's half-demon to start with."

He smiled at her. "They'll get things back to normal. It's stopped raining. For now, let's move."

"Hai!" Belldandy replied, smiling tremulously.

Keiichi smiled back at her and walked towards the front of the bike. Before he could take more than a single step, however, a wave of weakness sent him falling to the ground. The last thing he heard before everything went black was Belldandy's voice.

"Keiichi-san? Keiichi-san!"

* * *

Urd forced herself to calm before she did something drastic to the receptionist. She _hated_ government offices. "Give me the forms," she said eventually once she had calmed down enough that she trusted herself not to cast a spell on the infuriating woman. However satisfying that might be she needed to get this sorted quickly, before something bad happened to Bell and Keiichi.

A pile of paperwork nearly four inches high, covered in tiny letters, was dumped on the counter in front of her. "Please read these and sign in the appropriate places."

"Come on," Urd told her sister. "Let's go to the desk over there."

She had to get away from that woman, or her remaining time as a goddess would be a lot shorter than expected. While blasting the officious pest with pure pishogue might be satisfying it would almost certainly get her not only banned from Asgard again but sent straight to Nifelheim, and then who would help her sister?

Unfortunately this was just the first step of the process – getting herself registered as Belldandy's proxy.

* * *

"You're troubled, aren't you Belldandy?"

Belldandy looked up from Keiichi to see Marller hovering beside the bridge they were sheltering under. "Marller! Why did you do something this awful?"

Marller smirked. "Because I'm a demon of course."

"Keiichi-san has nothing to do with our quarrel!"

"What do you mean? This is your fault. He's like this because _you _tried to do good deeds."

"I just wanted to help him."

"Then all you have to do…is join us."

"Are you telling me to help a demon?"

"Of course. If you associate yourself with evil and vice you'll be able to make Keiichi happy with your powers. I'm sure Urd would tell you the same if she were here."

Belldandy looked away, remembering her sister's words before she left. "Keiichi-san."

"If you do bad deeds it will return as happiness for Keiichi. Not a bad deal, right?"

"I understand," Belldandy replied. "I'll do it." _For Keiichi-san, I would do anything._

"Good."

* * *

"Very well," the receptionist said. "Now, what exactly is the problem?"

"My sister was issued the wrong licence."

"Licensing office, third floor."

Urd and Skuld groaned in unison.

* * *

Marller was sitting beside the unconscious Keiichi, who was hooked up to a device monitoring his condition. Belldandy had left to do bad deeds.

She watched excitedly as Keiichi's temperature continued to fall, convinced that Belldandy was already managing to do some really nasty things. She would have been a lot less excited if she had realised that Belldandy's idea of 'really bad' consisted of crossing the road when the crossing light was red, reading books without paying for them, writing graffiti and getting drunk on soda.

* * *

"The system clearly shows that Belldandy, Goddess of the Present, completed retraining and was issued a First Class, Category 2 Unlimited licence," the operator informed them.

Urd looked over her shoulder at the screen. "Well, what she got was a demonic licence."

"You're not serious?"

"I am. As far as we can tell from her memories the two were switched while still in the office by the Demoness Marller."

"That's impossible! Leaving aside the fact that no demon should be able to enter Asgard the licence is just a symbol. The real data is stored in Yggdrasil."

"You're right," Urd admitted. "But Belldandy can still only access demonic magic. Something, I might add, she's never been able to do before."

"Let me look."

* * *

"Huh? Belldandy?" Keiichi asked as he woke in the morning.

"You're finally awake."

"Marller."

"Be happy. She agreed to live with her new status."

"This happened because you tampered with it in the first place!" he said angrily, standing up to walk over to her. "Give Belldandy her goddess licence back!"

Marller smirked. "I shredded it to pieces long ago."

"How could you? Belldandy's suffering because of it."

"How rude," Marller told him. "I made it so that the more bad deeds she commits, the happier you people you become. Aren't you happy?"

"There's no way I'd be happy that way!"

"But it's thanks to her bad deeds that you've recovered," Marller argued, not really understanding his point. "She easily had a change of heart when I told her that your fever would go down if she did bad deeds."

"Is that how you persuaded her?"

"This is how demons do things. I'd do anything to expand our share." She realised that Keiichi was leaving. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"I'm going to stop Belldandy."

"How that benefit you? You'll be unfortunate again."

"Getting sick and losing a place to live, I'm fine with that! Making Belldandy suffer makes me even unhappier."

Marller watched him go. What was the problem with doing whatever you had to do in order to benefit yourself? It was how things worked, wasn't it? Why would he choose to suffer, when causing problems for others could ease your own? Was it really hurting Belldandy that much?

* * *

"There!" Skuld pointed out, having joined Urd and the operator in searching.

Urd frowned. "It's definitely a virus," she admitted. "But this is way beyond Marller's usual abilities. Damn."

She ignored the disapproving looks about her language. "We knew she had to have helped getting here but it seems that Hild had a hand in the code too."

"H…Hild?" the operator squeaked.

* * *

Meanwhile Belldandy was sitting on the swings, contemplating the fact that it hurt so much to do bad things to others.

"Poor demon," Hild said from her perch on a nearby roof.

"Um, I feel rather guilty," Marller admitted as she landed beside her.

"You're a demon. What are you talking about?" Guilt was an emotion Hild didn't understand.

"Hild-sama, you just said 'Poor demon,'" Marller pointed out.

"That's right, poor demon. I'll save her when she reaches her limit, of course. When she does we'll specially welcome her as Demon Belldandy," Hild explained. Belldandy's suffering was a necessary part of the plan.

Marller wondered if they were even on the same page.

* * *

"It's no use," Urd sighed, straightening briefly. "The virus keeps rewriting itself. We need to overwrite the damaged code completely."

By now they had drawn the attention of most of the people in the room, as well as several operators in the main control room. This level of infiltration was nothing to be scoffed at.

From a nearby terminal Skuld scowled. "Can't we just bypass it? Resend the information?"

"Theoretically, yes. But I don't know how. It would need to come from Bell's end, and she can't even link to Yggdrasil at the moment. And to restore her link we'd need to bypass the virus."

"Double bind," the operator said glumly.

* * *

Keiichi meanwhile had checked all of the places Belldandy would normally be found, to no avail. All he gained was teasing from his sempai and a lecture from a teacher on attendance.

Eventually he found himself settling down beside a pay phone, too tired to walk any more and out of ideas as to where to look.

"Belldandy, where are you?"

* * *

Having discovered what had happened Peorth was determined to help. To that end she was down on Earth, hassling people about buying phones. She frowned as Belldandy walked past without even noticing her. "Hey you!"

"It's horrible that you would ignore me," she told Belldandy once they were somewhere private, the alley beside the store.

"What are you wearing?" Belldandy countered.

"Since I came down without permission I'm in disguise so my bosses won't find me."

"Without permission?"

"That's right. For you. I can't allow you, the best goddess in the Goddess Assistance Agency, to scatter misfortune for a cheap reason like this."

"I…"

"Here." She handed Belldandy one of the phones. "You can forget about subscribing, so call."

"Call?"

"The number doesn't matter. Dial, with love, someone you love right now. Then your feelings will definitely get through."

* * *

Keiichi looked up as the phone rang. "Umm, hello?"

"Umm…"

"Belldandy." He could never forget that voice, it had been engraved in his memory since the first time he heard it, when she had told him that she was here to grant him a wish.

"Did you forget this time?" he asked half teasing, half serious as he referred the incident after their encounter with the Lord of Terror. "My wish hasn't changed."

Belldandy's hand trembled. "But I have lost all my goddess powers and will cause nothing but trouble."

"Whatever happens we'll be alright if we're together. And I said that you could depend on me a little more, right?"

"Keiichi-san."

"Don't go away anymore. I want a goddess like you to stay with me forever."

"Keiichi-san."

Belldandy and Peorth gasped as Belldandy began to glow, connecting with Yggdrasil as files updated.

* * *

"Skuld, come here for a sec," Urd said excitedly, from her position watching one of the systems operators.

Running over Skuld gasped in delight. "Onee-sama's licence has changed back to normal!"

* * *

"You wish has been accepted," Peorth told Belldandy. "The bug from the demons' tampering has been fixed. A demons' licence has never been…"

"Peorth!" Belldandy exclaimed, hugging her.

"I'll put this on loan," Peorth said, as Belldandy began to cry with joy.

* * *

"So the rumours are true then," Peorth stated, when Urd and Skuld returned to Midgard. The demonic energy gathering in the Goddess of the Past was obvious; she didn't even try to hide it. "You really are changing sides."

Urd nodded.

"Why didn't you ask Kami-sama for help, instead of _Her_?"

"Can you honestly say that he wouldn't have used the opportunity to make me a pure goddess?"

"Don't you want that?"

Urd shook her head. "Maybe once," she admitted. "But if I was, I wouldn't be me. I'd rather be half and half than a goddess pure, even if the price is to become a demon."

"I…I can't understand that."

"I know. Thank you though, for helping Belldandy. If the contract hadn't been triggered we might never have solved the problem."

Peorth smiled and nodded. There wasn't much else to say, really.

* * *

_Morisato Keiichi,_ Hild thought as she watched from a tree outside the temple, once again ignoring Marller's apologetic babbling. _I thought he was a boring child, but he's really quite good._

She smirked slightly, an idea forming.

-x-x-x-

Thing were soon back to normal at the Temple, well for a short time, anyway.

"Keiichi-san, its morning!" Belldandy called out happily the next day, as she opened his door. "It's a nice day today."

She stopped in shock when she saw Hild lying beside him, staring up at her.

"Oh, good morning," Hild said politely.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** It's Christmas, so even though I'm not finished the next chapter yet I'll post this one.

Chapter 3, last of the episode rewrites and at fourteen pages the longest yet. After this I'm on my own, so updates will probably be longer in coming. I'm not entirely satisfied with this one, but it'll do, I suppose.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Star

* * *

"W…w…what are you…?" Skuld stuttered. "Y…you've got to be kidding me!"

She and Belldandy stared at the Daimakaicho in disbelief. Rather younger than her true appearance, but older than the child form she had been adopting recently, Hild looked to be around the same age as Belldandy.

That, however, was not what had them shocked. It was the fact that she was standing in their kitchen chopping vegetables.

"Hild."

"Oh, Bell-chan," Hild said, turning to look at her. "You want to eat my home cooking too?"

"What are you talking about?!" protested Skuld. "Rather, why did you come into our house and start cooking?!"

Hild just smiled slightly as Keiichi peered into the room. "Hild, is breakfast ready? I'm starved."

"Keiichi-san."

"It'll just be a little longer, darling," Hild told him. She winked and smiled. "Be a good boy and wait, okay?"

"I'm looking forward to today's menu. Well, hurry please."

"Sure."

Belldandy and Skuld turned to leave, Belldandy staring after him wistfully.

"Hey, Keiichi! Wait!" Skuld shouted. "Keiichi!"

"Keiichi…san," Belldandy whispered sadly.

* * *

Urd walked in tiredly, still half asleep and sat beside Belldandy. _Let's see,_ she thought, trying to figure out what was wrong. _Belldandy beside me, Skuld on her other side. Mother feeding Keiichi…_ She paused and backtracked. _**Mother feeding Keiichi!** _Okay, something weird was going on here.

"Say Ah."

"Ah."

It was actually kind of scary. Hild wasn't nice. Well, she was, but it was a vaguely threatening kind of nice. Not _nice_ nice and certainly not 'sickly sweet' nice.

"I've lost faith in you Keiichi," yelled Skuld. "To think that you were two timing Onee-sama with Hild!"

Hild and Keiichi, however, seemed oblivious to the other two.

"Delicious," Keiichi told Hild.

"Is it? Then open again."

"I can't take this any longer!" Skuld screamed, throwing her arms into the air in rage. "Keiichi, what happened to you?"

"Is there a problem?"

"There's a big problem! You have Onee-sama, yet…!" she paused, thinking about what she was saying. "Umm… Onee-sama is mine, but…" she looked up again, glaring. "But…!"

"What are you talking about?" Keiichi asked, his confusion seeming to be genuine. He smiled. "Skuld, eat up too. It's delicious."

"I'd never eat Hild's cooking," Skuld said, turning her back on him, her arms crossed.

"Yes, wouldn't it be a problem if it turns out to be better than Bell-chan's?"

Urd winced. Hild knew just what buttons to push to manipulate Skuld, it seemed. She should know, having often used them herself. Sure enough…

"No way!"

"Then do you want to give it a try?" Hild asked, a smile on her face but a challenging gleam in her eyes. "See if it's better than Bell-chan's."

Skuld's reaction to the spices would have been funny in another situation, Hild's response calculatingly innocent.

"There are no sign's of him being controlled," Urd told Belldandy.

"Hai."

"You have a piece of rice on you," Hild said, before kissing Keiichi on the cheek.

"Stop it! Urd and Belldandy are watching."

"Who care's? I'm sure they'll be happy for the both of us. Right?"

The vague urge to wretch was replaced by warning sirens. "Hey, I don't know what you're plotting, but when she gets mad…"

Urd glanced towards Belldandy, who was sitting stiffly, her face pale and her eyes wide and Hild followed her gaze.

"Oh crap!"

A lance of magic, coloured dark purple, shot into the sky, leaving Belldandy sparking with the residual charge.

"B…Belldandy…?" Keiichi stuttered.

Hild gazed at her thoughtfully, one hand on her chin. "You're still a girl," she declared.

Urd looked at her sister sadly. Hild's latest scheme was really hurting Belldandy, and she couldn't help but feel that it was all her fault. If she hadn't summoned her...

* * *

"No response," Skuld reported, as she and Urd spied on Hild and Keiichi. The youngest goddess was wearing her latest invention, a pair of glasses that would see spells. "There are no signs of magic being used."

"Then what about the possibility that a demon has possessed him?" Urd asked.

"That's impossible too. That's the real Keiichi. Urd, can't you detect anything? Maybe she made him take the 'Seed of Love'?"

Urd sighed. "I've looked into it but there were no signs of her making him take any medicine either." The problem was really annoying her. How had Hild managed to change Keiichi's feelings so drastically?

"Then Keiichi truly loves Hild."

"No," she replied firmly. "I'm sure there's something behind this. Definitely." She just had no idea as to what.

The pair began to panic as Hild suggested taking a bath together.

"This is bad! If Belldandy sees them taking a bath together the whole region will be destroyed!"

"What should we do?"

"Beat them to it and prevent it!" Urd ordered sharply, pulling herself together at the sound of her sister's panicked voice.

"What!"

"Is it alright if this whole place disappears?"

"I'll do my best," Scold said determinedly, turning and running down the corridor. "Geez, she's doing whatever she wants!"

"Nee-san," Belldandy said, coming round the corner as Skuld turned the other way.

"W…what is it?" Urd asked nervously. "I'm busy right now."

"Look at this."

Urd stared at the picture Belldandy held in shock, as the pieces connected. So _that_ was how Hild did it.

* * *

Urd and Belldandy reached the furo just in time to see Keiichi lying on the floor unconscious and a naked Hild, in full Daimakaicho mode, doing her best to intimidate Skuld, who was sitting in the furo looking rather frightened.

"Okay, that's it. Stop," Urd said from the doorway.

"Oh my, Urd-chan."

"I would like you to explain this," Urd continued, as Belldandy knelt beside Keiichi, seeing if he was alright.

"What are you talking about?"

"Belldandy found this," replied Urd, brandishing the photograph.

"That was quicker than I expected," Hild admitted, shrugging slightly.

"Why did you do this?" asked Belldandy. "Do you want Keiichi-san's heart?"

Hild smiled then. "I wonder. It may just be on a whim."

"On a whim?" Belldandy asked, staring down at the photograph of a teenage Keiichi and Hild together in high school uniforms. "For such a trivial reason?"

"If it bother's you so much, how about getting him back?" Hild suggested. "He's your Keiichi-san, right? I'm sure Urd-chan will help you."

Urd's eyes narrowed, her expression becoming, for an instant, a mirror of her mother at her most dangerous. She knew what was being suggested – that they go back to the past to fix it. She just wondered why.

Although technically she was still a goddess she was balancing on the very edge, close enough that Hild might very well have felt that she could forbid her from helping. Yet instead she was giving her permission, almost ordering her to help her sister. Which could only mean that she _wanted_ them to attempt this. What was her mother up to?

"Belldandy," she said, starting her sister out of her shock. "Let's go. Let's get Keiichi back."

"Nee-san," Belldandy said, before nodding.

* * *

The three goddesses held their hands out, as the working appeared around them. This was going to take a lot of power.

"She doesn't seem anxious at all," Skuld commented, glancing towards where Hild sat on the porch, the unconscious Keiichi on her lap. "Will this really work?"

"She's enjoying it," Urd replied. "That _really_ pisses me off." She turned her full attention back to the working. Although her sisters were feeding her power the spell itself was mostly her responsibility. The past was her domain. She only hoped she didn't screw this one up.

_Keiichi-san._

_She has a nice expression_, Hild thought, staring at Belldandy. _It's getting me excited._ She smiled slightly.

"Nee-san," Belldandy said softly.

"Here we go," Urd replied. She closed her eyes, envisioning the shape of the magic.

"My name is Urd. In the name of the goddess who presides over the past, guide us through the times."

The working flared and the three of them dissolved into light.

* * *

The quiet of a snowy field was disturbed by three figures appearing a few feet above it. Two of them landed on their feet while the central, smallest figure landed face first in the snow.

Skuld pulled her head out of the snow. "Where are we?" she asked, looking around.

"Keiichi's hometown," Urd replied.

"Keiichi's hometown?" Skuld echoed. "So Keiichi lived here?"

Belldandy looked up as a lone figure walked along the nearby street, pushing a scooter and grumbling slightly. "Keiichi-san."

"Keiichi-kun's so cute!" Skuld exclaimed. She raised her voice and began to wave. "Keiichi!"

Before she could even finish the word Urd pushed her face into the snow, as Keiichi continued on undisturbed.

"What was that for?" Skuld asked, spitting out a mouthful of snow.

"Idiot. He hasn't met us yet, so there's no way he'd recognise us, right?"

"Oh…yeah."

The trio watched as Hild appeared out of a side street to greet Keiichi. They talked for a moment as another scooter passed, the passenger calling out to them as it did. Then Hild grabbed hold of his arm and they continued on their way.

"What's this?" asked Skuld angrily. "Acting all cosy! I've lost faith in him!"

"You can't blame him," Urd replied, as Belldandy didn't seem aware enough to do so. "He wasn't popular with girls at this point in time."

"To think that she's already acquainted with Keiichi-san," Belldandy said, the most she had spoken since they got here.

"She's reading our movements," Urd replied grimly. "If we go further in the past she'll go even further to get acquainted with him."

Images formed in her mind of a child, and even baby Hild beside a Keiichi of the same age.

"It's easy for Daimakaicho." And damned if a part of her didn't both envy and respect that power.

"Then, what should we do?"

"We have no choice but to turn Keiichi to us."

"Keiichi-san," Belldandy whispered.

Urd looked at her sister sympathetically and began to outline her plan. Usually Belldandy was the one to think ahead, but she wasn't in any state to do so right now. Besides, matters of love were her area of expertise.

* * *

"Okay, quiet. It's rather sudden, but we have a new student," the teacher said, gaining the class' attention.

"Her name is Belldandy. She's fluent in Japanese, so I'm sure you'll become friends right away."

Dressed in the girls' uniform of a skirt and a brown jacket Belldandy stood in front of the class and bowed. "My name is Belldandy. Pleased to meet you."

Keiichi stared at her, mouth open in shock, while in the seat to his right Hild sat with one hand on her chin, looking thoughtful.

She smiled slightly as the class broke out in to excited whispers. _I'll see your true feelings, Bell-chan._

* * *

At the same time as Belldandy was being introduced, Urd and Skuld were talking in the nurse's office. Skuld was in a grade school uniform while Urd wore a lab coat over a smart skirt and blouse. Combined with a pair of glasses it made her look oddly professional.

"Why am I a grade schooler?!"

"You're perfect for it, no matter how you look at it."

"I'm already an adult! I'm obviously going to be in the same class as Onee-sama!"

"We can't do anything about it since you're already registered as a transfer student in grade school," Urd informed her. She pointed towards the appropriate area of the school. "Okay, Skuld-chan, that way."

Skuld began twitching, "Urd, you idiot!" she yelled angrily, before running out of the room.

Urd sighed. Skuld might think she was grown up but she was still just a kid. Although, admittedly, she probably _would_ be bored out of her skull. She was far beyond grade school level classes.

She shrugged as she began to organise things in preparation for her first patients. Skuld would get over it.

* * *

Rather listening to the teacher Belldandy was sneaking glances at Keiichi, sitting two seats to her right. She thought back to Urd's advice.

_In these situations, start by writing a letter._

She looked down at the envelope, clearly labelled with Keiichi's name.

_Give it to him suggestively, got it?_

She looked over again, just in time to see Keiichi look away, and smiled, blushing slightly. He had noticed her.

Hild glanced in her direction and smiled.

"Okay, that's it for today," the teacher told them as the bell rang. "It'll be on the test, so make sure you go over it."

* * *

It seemed that every time Belldandy tried to speak to Keiichi Hild was there within seconds, flirting and hanging all over him, glaring at her when he couldn't see it. And then, before she could give him the letter, they were gone, Hild dragging him off somewhere as her pain continued to grow.

"Why can't I gather the least amount of courage?" Belldandy asked herself as she began to glow, purple lightning gathering around her before the windows shattered.

* * *

"You still haven't given it to him?" Urd asked. The two of them were in her office, Urd seated on a chair with a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other, the picture of professionalism should anyone happen to glance in. "You must not yield to her obstructions."

"I know that, but…"

"First make him notice you," Urd instructed. "For example, quietly give him a flirtatious glance, deliberately trip and reveal what's under your skirt, or ask him what kind of girl he likes."

Belldandy looked down in embarrassment.

"Is this really okay?" Belldandy asked uncertainly, as Urd looked at her sadly. "There's a black haze in my heart. It's as if bad emotions are filling it."

Urd stood and turned towards the window. "Jealousy, eh?" she asked. It wasn't surprising. Hild seemed to be deliberately provoking that emotion. But it must be tormenting her gentle sister, who normally didn't have a bad feeling for anyone.

"No, I…!"

"True, it doesn't suit you, Belldandy," Urd continued, turning back towards her sister.

She smiled, a new idea coming to her, a way to spare Belldandy somewhat.

"I got it. Let's change plans. Leave her to me. Just tell Keiichi your feelings. You can do that at least, right? No, you have to be able to do that at least."

Belldandy nodded. "Hai."

* * *

"You want to go somewhere on the way home?" Hild asked.

"I don't have much money on me today," Keiichi admitted, staring at the odd figure approaching.

"I want you to come with me for a moment," Urd said as Hild turned to face her.

Dressed in a dark blue school uniform, a red bow at her neck, Urd looked imposing, even without the chain in her hand and the grim expression on her face.

_So _**that's **_your move,_ Hild thought. She'd been wondering when the goddesses would change their tactics.

"Umm, I don't know what Hild did," Keiichi said nervously, moving in between them. "But I'll listen, so why don't you put that down?"

"Keiichi," Urd said, almost involuntarily. The boy looked startled for a moment before Hild put a hand on his shoulder, pushing him gently aside.

"You don't have to do anything unnecessary," she told him, smiling slightly. "Go ahead of me. This will be over quickly."

Urd suppressed a flinch when she saw the look in her mother's eyes. This was going to hurt, a lot.

"But…"

"Go."

"Hild."

"I guess I have no choice," she muttered. The lights on Keiichi's scooter flashed and he turned to grab it, only so find himself pulled out of the gates by the runaway vehicle, barely managing to climb on as it turned the corner onto the street.

Back in the schoolyard Urd and Hild faced each other, Urd swinging her chain in a vertical circle, so fast that it was just a blur.

"I was just getting bored," Hild said conversationally. "I'll congratulate you if you last five minutes," she added, raising her book bag and throwing it.

Bag and chain met in a flare of magical pyrotechnics, before both returned to their owners. Hild smirked. "You're quite good."

"You'll get hurt if you underestimate me too much," Urd replied, holding the chain in both hands. The chain lashed forward as Hild raised her bag in defence, a shield flaring at the point of impact.

By now both sported identical smiles, both excited by the challenge. Good fights were all too rare, and all the more enjoyable because of it.

* * *

Meanwhile Keiichi was pulling himself out of the snow in the same field that the goddesses had arrived in. He had crashed there after looking control of his scooter when the bakes failed to respond.

"Are you all right, Keiichi-san?" Belldandy asked in concern.

"Keiichi-san?" he repeated in astonishment as he looked up at her in surprise. "Uh, it's because you called me by my first name, even though we've just met," he explained hastily.

"I'm sorry," Belldandy replied, blushing slightly.

"It's okay," he replied. "You don't have to worry."

"Actually, umm…"

Keiichi looked at her with wide eyes, wondering what it was about this girl.

"I… Umm… I… I… Keiichi…"

"Keiichi!"

"Oh, Hild."

"What's with you, talking to another girl in a place like this," she scolded lightly.

"Well, I fell off the bike," he explained as Belldandy stared off into the distance.

"No way! Are you alright?"

* * *

Back in the schoolyard Urd lay groaning on the ground, her chain in pieces around her while Hild's schoolbag was stuck in the snow near her head, somewhat scorched. A large circular dent in the school wall testified to the violence of the battle.

"Sorry, Belldandy. She was too strong."

* * *

"Hild, she's watching us," Keiichi said nervously.

"How about saying it?" she asked, holding tightly to Keiichi's arm. "Your true feelings."

"My true feelings," Belldandy repeated.

"Yes, you hate me, right?" Hild asked her voice lowering slightly as she let her oblivious mask drop. She smiled, her eyes narrowing. "For taking the man you love, linking arms…" She laughed.

Belldandy bowed her head in shame.

"For toying with him…" continued Hild, turning Keiichi's head to face her.

His eyes were wide in shock. "Hey!"

"This too," she added, leaning in to kiss him as he blushed.

Belldandy's hands clenched.

"Hild."

"Stay still," she whispered.

"No!"

The snow exploded upwards. When it settled Hild and Keiichi were protected by a golden shield while a purple miasma surrounded Belldandy.

_Yes, those feelings,_ Hild thought gleefully._ Those are your true feelings. And powers._

"Release your current feelings," she said aloud.

"My current feelings," Belldandy repeated, eyes wide and blank, the miasma growing.

"Anger, hatred, jealously," Hild continued. "Blast the feelings inside of you at me."

"I…"

"If you do, Keiichi will come back to you," Hild told her, smiling. "You can have him for yourself. Now, show it to me!"

Darkness spread out from Belldandy, casting everything around her in a strange half-light. "I… I…"

"Release everything," Hild encouraged triumphantly, looking truly frightening. "Along with that power."

Belldandy bowed her head before looking up again, sparks flying off of her. "I…"

"Do you like snow?" Keiichi asked, having walked up until he was less than two feet in front of her while she and Hild were intent on each other.

Belldandy looked at him in surprise.

"I do," he continued. "It's white. It eases my feelings somehow."

Belldandy's eyes widened, life returning to her expression as the darkness disappeared in an instant.

"It feels it suits you somehow." His eyes widened as he looked to one side.

"Diamond dust," he said as Belldandy looked at what he had seen. The sky was sparkling as tiny flakes fell from it. "It sure is beautiful."

Belldandy smiled brilliantly. "Hai!"

"Why?" Hild asked as she watched them. "Impossible."

"Hild."

She looked at Keiichi, who had walked back to join her. "I would like to talk to you about something."

* * *

"Bye!" Skuld called out to her new friends. Walking along the road she saw a lone figure staring at the sunset. "Oh, Onee-sama. Onee-sama!" she called out, running over.

"Skuld," Belldandy replied, turning to face her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I… I… might have done something I shouldn't have."

"Onee-sama, what's wrong?"

Belldandy began to cry, hugging her sister. "Skuld!"

"Onee-sama."

* * *

Hild hovered high above the town, watching the sunset without really seeing it as she thought back on what Keiichi had said to her.

_Well, you don't love me, do you?_

"How did a mere human notice?"

"That's Keiichi for you," another voice replied.

Hild turned to see her daughter beside her, sitting calmly on her broom.

"Urd-chan."

"He will even phone Asgard, pick fights against monsters and dive fearlessly into anywhere for Belldandy. That's the man he is." She looked slightly wistful for a moment.

"How boring," Hild replied. "I wanted to see Bell-chan's true feelings."

"Why are you stating the obvious?" Urd asked. "Her true feelings are simple."

"What…?" Hild asked in shock. How had she missed that?

"She loves him."

Hild shrugged, not entirely understanding. She certainly hadn't felt so strongly about Urd's father, couldn't imagine feeling that way about anyone who wasn't herself or her own flesh and blood. Oh well, at least the trip hadn't been totally wasted. "Are you coming, Urd-chan?" she asked.

"I was impressed by your performance during our fight," she admitted "It seems that I underestimated how much your power has grown." Then she smirked. "However, I did notice something. You tapped into your demonic side. You do remember our deal?"

Urd grimaced. "I remember."

* * *

A gasping Keiichi stopped in front of Belldandy and Skuld.

"Umm, Belldandy…san," he said once he had regained his breath.

"Yes?"

He blushed, looking down at the ground. "Would you like to visit the museum with me?" he asked hurriedly, holing out two tickets.

When she didn't reply he deflated slightly. "No?"

Skuld giggled, as Belldandy smiled. "Okay, in five years."

As Keiichi gaped at her in astonishment the two goddesses began to glow and disappeared, leaving Keiichi wondering why he was standing in a field.

"Huh? In five years…?" he muttered in confusion. "What was that?"

* * *

"Nee-san?" Belldandy asked as they arrived once more at the temple, to see Urd standing beside Hild, a bag over her shoulder, and Keiichi nowhere in sight.

"I have to go," Urd replied. As Belldandy got closer she saw that Urd's marks had changed, become the same crimson they had been when she was switching between goddess and demon.

She gasped, realising exactly how much Urd had sacrificed to buy her time. "Nee-san."

Urd smiled. "I don't regret it," she assured her.

"Come, Urd-chan."

Urd sighed and nodded. Hild grabbed her arm and a portal opened beneath them, the pair sinking into it.

* * *

**AN:** And that's the third chapter finished. More or less filler as up until the end its just an episode rewrite but it's got me to where I wanted - Urd as a demon. And of course she didn't last the full three months. : ) This is Urd, after all. Maybe Hild can teach her some control?

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** Sorry it's taken me so long to get this up but I'm in China right now and I will be until the end of July. I spend most of my day surrounded by six to nine year olds who don't speak much English, which is utterly exhausting, and my only internet access it through a shared computer at he school where I work.

On the plus side I did bring my own computer with me, it just doesn't have Internet access, so I have been working on my stories. As evidenced here. Chapters 1 to 3 have been edited (mostly fixing minor mistakes, no need to reread), chapters 4 & 5 have been completed and edited (5 will be up next week), and chapter 6 is almost done (and will hopefully be up in two weeks time).

I hope you enjoy,

Star.

PS: Feel free to point out any mistakes. I'll fix them when I post the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 4

Urd blinked, the light dazzling her after the absolute darkness of the portal. When her vision cleared she realised that she was in a large bare room, lit by torches on the wall, the only item aside from that being a tapestry on the far wall – the six pointed star that was the Seal of Nifelheim. The room was vaguely familiar, something from her long forgotten infancy.

Beneath the tapestry the Daimakaicho stood in all her glory. Her power, here in her own territory, was enough to make Urd shiver in fear…and awe.

"Welcome home, Urd-chan."

"Hild-sama," she replied, being sure to keep her voice respectful. As a goddess she had had some leeway. As a demon she could not afford to anger the woman who had absolute control over her future.

"This way." Hild swept out of the room, obviously expecting her to follow.

* * *

As they walked through halls lit only by glowing crystals Urd began to remember this place. This was Hild's private retreat, a fortress that only a handful knew about and even fewer had access to. The room they had arrived in was the Reception Hall, the only way in (although there were several escape points).

They stopped in front of an elaborately carved wooden door, which Hild opened with a wave of her hand, obviously not in the mood to limit her casual displays of power.

Urd gasped. It was actually a lot less elaborate than many places she had stayed in, hardly indicative of her mothers rank, but it was hauntingly familiar.

FLASHBACK

_A five year old Urd sat on the couch, a large book on her lap. Hild sat beside her, one arm around her shoulder while her other hand pointed out a word on the page, explaining what it meant._

_They looked happy, Urd looking up and grinning at her mother while Hild smiled down at her fondly._

END FLASHBACK

She had spent most of her early childhood in these rooms, before she was left in Asgard, the only other residents her mother and a handful of servants. She had rarely seen anyone else, Hild being extremely paranoid about her welfare. It had been a rather lonely existence but she had been happy here, she hadn't _needed_ anyone else. Hild had been mother, teacher and playmate in one.

She had done her best to forget later, when her mother had suddenly abandoned her in a world that was completely unfamiliar. But the memories had never truly been gone, only buried, and being here again was bringing them back to light.

"Do you remember this place, Urd-chan?"

"H…hai."

Hild smiled then, one of her rare true smiles that Urd remembered from childhood, a smile that held no devious undertones, just approval. "Good. Your room is the same one as before. Feel free to change it as you like, as you will be staying here for some time. I have some work to do finalising your new status."

Urd nodded in acknowledgement.

* * *

Her room was actually pretty neat. A bookcase to one side held a collection of demonic spellbooks and textbooks and a few things scattered around seemed to be remnants from her childhood but other than that it was almost identical to her room back at the Temple. Even the bookcase had plenty of room left for her own collection. Obviously Hild had been snooping.

She smiled slightly and set about putting her belongings in their proper places. Then she began to brew a new potion, needing to unwind after recent events. She'd had this idea for customising a lust potion so that the consumer fell for a person of the brewer's choice…

* * *

Hild smirked as she peered into Urd's room just in time to see a potion blow up in her face. Urd-chan obviously hadn't lost her fascination with potions. Good. A potions maker of her daughter's calibre could be extremely useful – once the girl reworked all those 'true love' clauses that the Asgard Council insisted upon. And as a mother it was nice to know her daughter's hobbies.

She left as silently as she had entered. There would be plenty of time to introduce Urd to her new training in the morning. It wasn't as if she could start tonight anyway.

* * *

'_Wake up, Urd-chan!'_

Urd groaned at the sound of her mother's voice echoing in her head, the mental shout waking her far more effectively than a vocal one would have.

'_I expect you in the main room in ten minutes.'_

Just great. She hated mornings and it was barely…she glanced at her (rarely used) alarm clock…six o'clock?! Kami-sama, Hild was as bad as Belldandy.

She tumbled out of bed, a quick spell fixing her hair, while another conjured a fresh outfit, a v-necked top and a pair of tight but comfortable trousers. She had a feeling that she might want to go for 'comfortable' rather than 'sexy'. She had no idea what Hild would have her do and besides, she could always change later.

"Eat," Hild ordered her as she entered the main room, gesturing towards the second place at the table. "Keiko made it specially."

Urd blinked, trying to recall the name, then smiled as she managed to place it. Keiko was the head servant and cook at the Fortress.

She smiled, welcoming the sight of porridge as well as toast, eggs and bacon. Japanese cooking was nice, but she had missed European food. Yes, strictly speaking she didn't have to eat, deriving all her energy from Yggdrasil (Nidhegg now), with only sake giving her any actual benefit, but everyone welcomed a meal once in a while.

Besides, Keiko was _almost_ as good a cook as Belldandy.

* * *

"I've placed you in the system as a demon second class, trainee," Hild informed her once they finished eating. "You'll remain at that status until I'm satisfied that you've learnt what you need to."

Urd nodded, not protesting the demotion. While she had the power and control necessary for a full licence she was well aware that there was a great deal of difference between the duties of a goddess and a demon.

Hild indicated a terminal that had been set up by the window.

"The programme running there is a training simulation for the use of Nidhegg, given to all trainee demons. When you complete one scenario another is randomly generated. You need to complete ten in a row without a single mistake in order to pass."

Urd looked at her in shock. "But…" Trainee was one thing, but she had been Yggdrasil System Administrator, for Kami's sake! Despite Skuld's opinion of her she had better computer skills than 99.9 of the divine population. What was the point in that sort of baby exercise?

"Do it," Hild ordered, eyes narrowing.

Urd gulped, recognising the danger signs. "Hai," she agreed hastily.

Hld smiled. "Well, get to it then."

* * *

Urd cursed as for the third time in less than two hours the simulation rebooted back to the start. She could get to a certain point and no further, despite the fact that she was doing something she had done a million times before.

She paused then, remembering an old conversation with Mara, back when they were both still in training. Something about…different protocols…

A slow grin spread across her face. This wasn't about lack of faith in her abilities, or even about annoying her, it was about differences in programming between the two systems! She hopped down to the floor, heading for her room. She had seen a programming book amongst the others left for her.

* * *

Hild had left for Nidhegg control shortly after Urd began her task but she had been watching her progress on an extra screen. She smiled as she saw her daughter retrieve the book she had left for this very purpose and begin to read. She had begun to wonder how long it would take Urd-chan to realise the true point of this exercise. It was no true loss if she hadn't – she would have told her at the end of the day – but that she had was a good sign.

Urd had a bad habit of not thinking things through and acting on instinct. It was a trait that was acceptable in a lower level demon, or goddess, but one which would stop her from ever reaching First Class status. As a result it needed to be trained out of her. Her reactions now gave Hild hope that it wouldn't be as hard as she first thought.

* * *

It took her five days to read through that book and be sure that she'd understood it properly, completing the first scenario as she did so. Five extremely boring days – no one had ever come up with a way to make a programming textbook interesting, even if the activity itself could be fascinating.

She'd never admit to anyone that she had actually liked her job. Skuld would never let her hear the end of it

It took her one more day to complete the next two scenarios, making minor mistakes on the way. Frustratingly one of these mistakes was made just before she would have completed it.

The next ten scenarios she completed in two and a half days, her speed increasing each time until the last scenario was finished almost as quickly as she could have done on Yggdrasil.

The moment she completed the last scenario a timer appeared on the screen, along with a message from Hild.

_Congratulations, Urd-chan. The real test starts now._

She swore as a standard screen appeared in front of her, flashing warning messages, and her fingers began flying over the keyboard as she tried to work out exactly what was wrong.

* * *

"I hate you," she informed Hild when her mother returned home. "A systems crash? That was just cruel."

Hild smirked, glad to see that Urd was being a less formal with her, and threw a folder over to her. "You start tomorrow."

Urd opened it, reading the front sheet before looking up at her mother in surprise. "Systems Operator, really?"

"This doesn't let you off the hook. You still have a lot to learn, in relation to both magic and politics. I suggest that you get an early night, and be prepared to work hard tomorrow."

* * *

"So you're the new trainee," the on duty System Administrator said, eyeing Urd carefully. She was a tall woman, with jet-black hair, dark skin and the red eyes that were so common amongst demons, her expression a habitual frown. "I've been told about your circumstances."

Red eyes flashed slightly. "Don't think that your heritage will protect you. I expect you to work as hard, if not harder, as the rest of my subordinates."

Urd nodded, automatically suppressing the urge to blast the arrogant bitch. She'd dealt with people who had problems with her parentage before, on both sides. Between Goddesses looking down on her for being half demon and those few demons who knew of her mixed heritage considering her a traitor for choosing to become a Goddess, she'd encountered just about every kind of prejudice out there. Attacking them never did any good and in this case could do a great deal of harm. "Understood…ma'am."

* * *

Kayla glanced over to where the new operator was working. White hair obscured most of her face while bronze fingers flew over her console with an ease that belied her trainee status.

Then again, that wasn't the only thing that was odd about her new co-worker. She was extremely old for a trainee and although it was possible that she had been reduced in rank for some screw up something that major would have been major _news_. But Kayla had heard nothing.

In fact, she knew nothing at all about her. Even most of her record was classified well above her level to read. All she could find out was what had been said when she was introduced – that she was a Demon Second Class (trainee) who specialised in system administration (as evidenced by her impressive test scores). Nothing about previous assignments, or even age and parents. It was downright strange.

As was the supervisor's reaction. Reyna was a bitch – no doubt about it – but her reaction to the newbie was over the top. She acted like she was a danger to her position, and there was a fair amount of raw hatred in her attitude mixed with…fear?

No there was definitely more to her than met the eye.

* * *

Urd sighed and stretched. After four hours of this her fingers and back were beginning to get a little sore.

Mostly the work had been easy. She could practically do the routine balancing of forces and updating of files and software to improve efficiency in her sleep. In fact the hardest part was remembering that she didn't have the clearance that she was used to and needed to have the supervisor approve more major changes.

It wasn't identical to Yggdrasil Control, even taking into account the difference in rank. Some of the procedures were different, some of the programming commands. One or two duties that she wasn't used to. Nidhegg's administrative staff was smaller (well, except for the contract division) and things weren't quite so specialised.

It wasn't quite enough to relieve the tedium of such routine tasks. Her fingers itched as she thought of hacking into the surveillance and looking in on her sisters but she wasn't foolish enough to try it. The consequences for doing so had been made quite clear – and Mother was a lot scarier than Father.

* * *

Kayla's expression hardened as she moved to catch the newcomer before she could leave. She was going to find out more about her, whatever it took.

"I'm Kayla. Demoness Second Class Unlimited. You're Urd, right?"

Piercing violet eyes met her own and Kayla suppressed a shudder at the sheer power she felt in that gaze. She'd met First Class Unlimiteds with less strength.

Urd nodded, wondering what the unexpectedly cheerful demon wanted.

"Do you want to come for a drink?"

"No thank you."

"I could make it an order. I outrank you."

Urd grinned at that. "But you don't outrank the person I've been ordered to meet."

"Who's that?"

"It's not really your concern." Urd had absolutely no intention of explaining why she had personal lessons with the Daimakaicho. It would bring up all sorts of questions that she didn't want to answer.

"Perhaps another time?" she suggested. "I've got a lot of lessons to catch up on, but I should be able to find some free time."

After all if she was going to be dragged into demonic politics (and it was inevitable given her parentage) she may as well work on her own power base. And Kayla was as good a place as any to start.

Kayla nodded. "Another time then."

* * *

"Today we will be reviewing contracts," Hild told her. With a wave of her hand a pile of paper nearly six inches thick appeared in mid-air, landing on the table with a loud thump.

Urd looked at the pile in disbelief. She was expected to go through all that?

"You'll also be practicing speed-reading," her mother added. "Now, you should have learnt the basics in Asgard but demonic contracts are a little different…

* * *

Urd's head was spinning. It was simple in theory. Unlike divine contracts, which tended to fulfil the spirit of the deal, demonic contracts focused on following the letter, usually twisting the wish/contract into something completely different in the process.

In practice it meant that you had to have a thorough knowledge of how to twist the contract wording to your advantage – and usually a fair amount of imagination in order to get the worst possible outcome for the client.

It went against every moral that she had ever been taught. Sure, she was known for breaking the rules. There was a reason she had never made it past Goddess Second Class, and contrary to Skuld's belief it had nothing to do with her ability to control her powers.

However when she broke the rules it was usually to help someone, most often one of her sisters. Now she was expected to keep the letter of the rules, break the spirit and deliberately hurt someone in doing so.

It didn't sit well with her.

She had gotten into trouble for something similar when she was younger though, she remembered. It had been only a few months after her arrival in Asgard.

FLASHBACK

"_Urd, can you tell me why we never make promises lightly?_

_The teacher obviously expected her not to know the answer. Just like so many times in the last months when she had called upon her, far more often than any of the others. And then they laughed at her, and called her stupid when she couldn't work the simplest spell. It wasn't her fault that she had been taught differently._

_Well this time they wouldn't laugh, because she knew the answer._

"_A promise is a contract. And we always keep contracts."_

_Moth… _Hild _had said that once. What else had she said?_

"_Despite what people think demons never break a contract. We bend the spirit until it breaks and extract more from the client than we give but we always fulfil what they ask for. So if you have to make a promise be very careful with how you word it, so that you have a way out if necessary."_

She didn't realise that she had spoken aloud until she realised that the entire class, including the teacher, were staring at her in horror. Eventually the teacher had recovered enough to send her to the principal's office, where she had been given several weeks of detention, the first of many.

END FLASHBACK

The rumours had spread quickly after that incident, Urd remembered. Until then her origins had been kept secret from all but a very few. People knew that she was His daughter, but her mother was never mentioned. After that it was common knowledge that her mother was a demon, although the fact that Hild was that mother had never slipped out until much later, and even then was merely a rumour, and not one that was often believed. After all, why would the Daimakaicho's daughter be working as a Second Class Goddess?

Back then the idea of using contracts against the mortal who signed had been taken for granted, she realised. Was that where her inability to care for those outside her family and close friends as a goddess should came from?

* * *

"So you finally decided too join us," Kayla commented as Urd entered the bar one night a week later. ' The Demon's Pleasure' was the favourite watering hole for most off the administrative staff at Nidhegg.

Urd grinned as she looked around. Although she was no strange to Nifelheim's bars she and Mara tended to meet nearer the crossover point between Nifelheim and Asgard, limiting the chances of unfortunate encounters. "I have the night off from lessons," she replied. "My teacher is busy elsewhere."

"So just who is your teacher?" Kayla asked, trying to sound casual. "And just what are you learning?"

Urd shrugged. "Control mostly," she admitted. "Some of the more subtle points of law. That sort of thing."

"Control?" Kayla asked in surprise.

"According to my teacher I waste a lot of power just because my control isn't good enough to deal with it efficiently. She refuses to even consider allowing me to gain my full licence until I meet her standards."

"So that's why you 're still a trainee," Kayla realised, inwardly thankful she didn't have Urd's mentor. Even after only a week she had realised that the white haired demoness had better control than she did. "And you still won't tell me who your teacher is?"

Urd grinned. "No, but if you guess right I might tell you."

Kayla immediately began reeling off names while Urd sat back and sipped her sake. She had needed this, a complete break from the endless lessons. And the only thing better than a night out drinking was a night with her sisters; something she wasn't likely to get before her training was complete; and that could take years, or even decades.

* * *

**AN2:** It seemed rather strange to me that Urd remembered nothing of her early childhood when she looked to be around six years old when Hild left her in Asgard. So this is my attempt at an explanation.

I imagine that there are a lot of demons who would seek to gain an advantage over Hild, which would make her young daughter an obvious target. So Hild would probably have been very protective, to the point that she may very well have been the only real companion young Urd had.

Then one day she takes her daughter away from everything she has known and leaves her with strangers. Urd is old enough by then to realise that she is being abandoned, but not old enough to understand why, so she does her best to forget. If her mother doesn't want her, she doesn't want her mother. As a result her conscious memories of her past are suppressed but subconsciously she still resents Hild's actions, thus her antagonistic attitude when they meet again.

Faced with the surroundings that were such an integral part of her early life she can no longer deny that part of her childhood, and thus begins to remember.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**AN: ** About license classifications it's always been my understanding that Class indicates power level/authority, with Limited/Unlimited indicating how much an individual is trusted to use that power responsibly and Category indicates specialisation, with Category 1 meaning an administrative specialist, such as Urd, and Category 2 being those who interact with mortals. This is the understanding I'm using in this fic, with Urd holding a Category 1 license and Marller and Belldandy a Category 2.

"Control, Urd-chan!" Hild yelled for the umpteenth time (Urd had lost count after thirty or so). "I know you have power, now stop wasting it!"

The Daimakaicho threw an energy ball at her in demonstration, which Urd barely dodged.

"You are still not tightening the spell matrix properly."

Urd began to form yet another Summon Lightning. What was the point in all of this? Her spells worked just fine as they were. Personally she just thought her mother wanted to torture her.

"No!"

Urd gasped in pain as Hild effortlessly shattered the spell before it was fully formed, the magic released harmlessly into the atmosphere

"Call up just a little power, only a trickle," Hild instructed. "And keep it in tight, feed it into the matrix the moment you summon it."

Urd sighed and obeyed, pushing the power into the spell matrix the moment she called it up. Once it was ready she released the spell and gasped at the difference. It was just as powerful, but she felt like she could keep it up all day.

"Do you feel the difference?" Hild asked. "If you draw only what you need rather than everything you can there is far less wastage."

Urd nodded.

"Again then. That was better, but it could still improve."

-x-x-x-

Urd groaned as she flopped down on her bed, utterly exhausted. Her mother's 'training session' had gone on for _three hours._ And Hild hadn't even worked up a sweat. It was humiliating.

"I hope you've finished that chapter I assigned you, Urd-chan. I'll be testing you in it tomorrow."

She groaned again. The woman was a bloody slave driver.

It was only after she raised the energy to prop herself up into a sitting position that she noticed the bottle of sake on the bedside cabinet.

Maybe Hild wasn't so bad after all.

-x-x-x-

Things soon settled into a routine. A full eight hour shift in Nidhegg Control during the day, while the evenings were taken up by exhausting sessions with Hild practicing her control, followed by reading material of Hild's choice.

When she had a spare half hour she worked on her latest potion, but those were few and far between. She barely had time for sleep, let alone hobbies, and the weekends were worse, with the training sessions doubled to six hours and the rest of the day spent in theory work with her mother supervising.

-x-x-x-

It hadn't taken Kayla long to realise that despite her junior rank Urd was not someone she could manipulate to advance her own career. The 'trainee' was sharp, and getting better at finding plots against her by the day. And her power level never ceased to be frightening.

In fact the opposite was far more likely to be true; Urd was far more likely to end up using _her_ as an informant. The newcomer was going to go far and Kayla wouldn't be surprised to see her reach First Class unlimited in a few years time. In fact, the major question was why she hadn't already, and her mentor not trusting her levels of control just didn't explain it.

No, Urd was a mystery. She was also an opportunity – a loyal follower could hope advancement from a leader she served well. The two things that Kayla loved most combined in one package. There was no way that she was letting Urd slip away from her.

-x-x-x-

"Urd!"

Urd looked up in surprise as a familiar voice greeted her on her way out of the administration building.

"Marller? What are you doing here?"

"I'm a demon, remember? Just like you."

Urd rolled her eyes at the pointed barb. Although she still intended to pay Marller back for her part in that incident she was no longer so upset about her new status, having come to realise that she actually enjoyed certain aspects of it over the last few months. "Yes, but shouldn't you be in Midgard?"

"Monthly reports," was the calm reply. "You know that She has special interest in this case for some reason. She wants me to report in person."

Urd nodded thoughtfully, wondering if it was her sisters reputation as 'the perfect goddess' or something else entirely that had caused her contract with Keichi to catch her mother's interest. Oh, she had no doubt that her own intervention had sparked that interest in the first place, her mother had kept close tags on her she had learned, but that alone wasn't enough to _keep_ that interest, especially after she herself left.

"Meet you for drinks later?" Marller asked her, breaking through her thoughts. "The usual place?"

Urd brought her mind back to the present. "Sure, but better make it eleven o'clock. I have lessons later."

Marller grimaced. "Rather you than me. The time I already have to spend with your m…" she paused, seeing Urd's glare. She'd almost forgotten that she and Hild were keeping their relationship under wraps. "Mentor," she corrected hastily, "is more than enough for me."

Kayla looked over in interest. So Urd knew Marller, the famous 1:2 Unlimited, and Marller not only knew Urd's mentor but…feared her? And there was that odd slip… The mystery just kept getting more interesting.

-x-x-x-

"So I heard you've been working in Sys Ops," Marller commented, as she sipped her sake.

Urd nodded. "It's interesting," she admitted. "Different from Yggdrassil Control. Nifelheims administrative department is smaller, so we handle a lot of things that would go through different offices in Asgard."

"Rather you than me," her friend replied, grimacing. "I'd rather be out doing something. So, what do they think about your relationship to Hild-sama?"

Urd smiled. "They've noticed the resemblance. But neither of us has said anything, and no one's asked outright. The rumours are amusing, however."

"Oh?"

"There are four theories. The most naïve seem to think it's a coincidence, with the argument being that there's a goddess that kind of looks like her too."

Marller laughed. "Yeah, you."

"A few of them have the right idea, while the majority at least suspect that I'm some sort of relative, probably a distant one from an outlying sector."

"And the rest?"

Urd grinned. "Seem to think that mother has messed up a split form slightly as a disguise."

Marller choked on her sake. "Why would she need to do that?" she asked incredulously.

Urd shrugged. "I think they're bored. Sys Ops is pretty routine most of the time. Keep Nidhegg running properly and call up the correct files on request. It only gets really exciting when something goes wrong."

Marller nodded in agreement, remembering her own time there as a trainee. Unlike Urd she'd never had any real interest in administrative work and once she had completed the module she been glad to never see the inside of that room again, unless simply passing through.

"So how are Bell, Skuld and the others?"

Marller frowned. "Did you just meet me to get information on your sisters?"

Urd grinned. "Maybe. But I also wanted a friend to get drunk with," she admitted, pouring them both more sake.

-x-x-x-

"So Keiichi…Keiichi finds himself in the middle of the girls locker room, without any clothes on…" the somewhat drunk Marller concluded.

An equally tipsy Urd laughed uproariously, rolling around in laughter. Considering that she was floating in mid air it was a rather strange sight.

"So they still haven't even kissed?" she asked curiously when she regained her composure. She knew that her sister and her boyfriend's relationship would never progress without her help.

Marller shook her head. "Not once."

Urd groaned. "I swear they both missed sex-ed. No one can be that hopeless on purpose."

Marller grinned. "Well, at least they do half my job for me. I might not be able to make Belldandy leave, or even break them up, but their relationship sure isn't progressing."

Urd looked at her in calculation. "About that…"

"No!" Marller snapped. "No, no and _no!_ I am not getting involved in one of your schemes. Especially not when you want me to disobey orders to do so."

Urd shrugged. "Have another drink," she suggested.

Marller glared at her. "And getting me drunk…drunker… won't change that."

Damn. There went that idea.

-x-x-x-

Urd groaned and opened her eyes, flinching as the light exacerbated her headache. It felt like knives were stabbing into her temples.

She flung out an arm and encountered a warm body, which snuggled closer to her, muttering something like, "Don' wanna ge' up…"

That brought Urd to full wakefulness. She shot upright, immediately regretting the action as the abrupt movement nearly caused her to puke. Once her stomach had settled she began to think about the situation logically.

Hangover…check. Warm body beside her…check. Last clear memory drinking with Marller…check.

Damn it! She'd gotten drunk and slept with Marller…_again!_

Yeah, it was all coming back to her now…

-x-x-x-

They had been friends since they were both little more than toddlers. Even Urd's being sent to live with her Father hadn't changed that. In fact in many ways it made it easier for them to meet, as Urd's new caretakers didn't keep nearly so close a watch on her as Hild had.

There was an area of more or less wilderness between Asgard and Nifelheim, ruled over by neither Kami-sama nor Hild, and it was here that children of both sides tended to congregate when they wanted to escape the notice of their parents and other caretakers. Normally the two groups didn't mingle, but Urd had often chafed under the supervision of the Heavens and it was Marller who was her companion of choice at those times.

As they became teenagers they became more adventurous, seeking out bars and other haunts – most often in Nifelheim. Urd was adept at fending for herself, and Marller was even less welcome in Asgard than Urd was down there.

They had been perhaps sixteen, relatively speaking, when drinking together first became sleeping together. It was a rare occurrence and something they didn't speak of afterwards. Although both were bisexual neither was interested in the other as a long term partner. They were simply friends with benefits.

Those nights had dwindled as both received their licenses. Urd went through a serious of relationships, including a fairly serious one with Troubadour, while Mara flung herself into advancing her career. They met only rarely, and occasions on which they met on friendly terms were even rarer. The last time had been at the hot springs, just before Marller had decided to split her divine and demonic sides, and that had been the first time in decades.

Apparently though it didn't take much time to slip into old habits now that Urd was a demon and they could see each other socially again without risk of censure.

-x-x-x-

A small moan alerted her to the fact that Marller was waking.

"We did it again, didn't we?" the blonde haired demon stated, before she even opened her eyes.

"Yep," Urd replied, almost cheerfully, always prepared to find amusement in others pain. It was a habit that had gotten her severely disciplined as a child, and left her the recipient of more than a few of Belldandy's disapproving looks.

Marller groaned. "We _have_ to get ourselves boyfriends. Or girlfriends. This is just embarrassing."

Urd nodded. "Agreed. Everyone probably thinks we're a couple now, you realise."

Marller nodded glumly, then groaned again as the movement sent pain shooting down her spine. "Definitely have to do something about it."

"Of course," Urd replied calmly. She was feeling much better now, a result of the potion, one of her own invention, that she had downed as Marller began to stir. "But not now. I have work in less than an hour, and you have to return to Midgard."

Marller groaned again and attempted to hide under the covers.

"Here," Urd said, taking pity on her friend. She stripped away the blankets and handed Marller a potion identical to the one she had consumed. "It's my own recipe."

Marller eyed it warily. "Is it safe?"

"I'll have you know that my problem was with administration, not formulation," Urd replied. "But if you don't want it…" She made as if to take the vial away.

"No, no…" Marller replied hastily. "I'll drink it. Anything's better than this…" The last sentence was half-muttered under her breath.

Urd smiled in amusement and began to get dressed as Marller laid back with a sigh of relief. They went through the same process every time this happened. It was all part of the ritual, as much as the lack of mentioning the incident afterwards.

-x-x-x-

"What did he do wrong Urd?" Hild asked, drawing Urd's attention from the mission report she was studying.

"He underestimated the client," her daughter replied immediately. "He made the loopholes too obvious, and assumed that the client couldn't see and use them just as well as he could – or that she hadn't built in a few of her own."

"And what should he have done?" was the next question, Hild letting no sign of her approval show in her voice or expression.

"Before signing he should have tightened up this loophole here…" Urd said confidently, pointing to the appropriate paragraph. "And reworded here…" The finger moved swiftly over the page. "That would have allowed him to take advantage of the situation while denying the client the opportunity she took advantage of to evade payment…"

Hild listened approvingly as her daughter analysed the report. Although this example was commonly used as a training aid Urd was doing an excellent job, far better than she could have done even a month ago.

-x-x-x-

"You're a half-goddess?" Kayla asked in shock, staring at Urd.

Urd blushed, inwardly damning the slip of her tongue. This was why she tried not to drink too much when out with her new friend. For their relationship, originally one of mutual use, had developed into friendship.

Her expression became determined, almost defiant. She refused to feel ashamed of her divine heritage as she had of her demonic heritage for so many years. "Yes," she replied calmly.

"A _Norn_?!"

And there was where the real shock came in. Those of mixed heritage were rare, but not unheard of. For them to switch sides was rarer still, usually a mixed-blood's alignment was as firmly set as any pure demon's despite their parentage. But the Norns were known to be the daughters of Kami-sama himself. The idea that one of them could be half-demon had probably never even occurred.

"Of the Past, yes." Inwardly she was a lot less blasé than she appeared. Although refusing to deny her past she dreaded being rejected by almost everyone, the way she had been when it was discovered she was half-demon.

"The eldest daughter of Kami-sama…"

"Yes." This was beginning to get a little annoying. React, damn it. Rejection was better than this state of shock.

"And your mother's a demon?"

Urd nodded. "Obviously."

"How?!"

Urd rolled her eyes, deciding to be deliberately dense in the hope that it would bring Kayla back to her senses. "The usual way, I'd imagine."

Kayla glared at her, annoyance overriding shock. "You know what I mean."

Her ignorant act having gotten the results she desired Urd replied seriously. "Usually someone with my power level who doesn't yet hold First Class rank is fairly young. So people who don't know me well assume I'm younger than I actually am, despite the fact that simple common sense should tell them otherwise." She shrugged, smiling. "It certainly enhances my younger sister's reputation as a prodigy."

Her expression became serious again. "In reality I'm one of the oldest kami _or_ demons outside of the Elders themselves. I was conceived during the period when the roles of demon and kami were still being defined, and there was a lot of switching sides."

"So your mother used to be a goddess?"

"No chance!" Urd laughed. Hild, a Goddess? It really didn't compute. "No, my mother has always been a demoness. But there was a lot of interaction between the two sides at that time, especially amongst the higher ranks."

Kayla nodded thoughtfully. So Urd's mother was most likely one of the Elder Demonesses, given the timing of her birth, and probably fairly high ranking, perhaps even Class Zero. That narrowed down the possibilities significantly.

Her next question was on a slightly different subject, however, as she had long since learnt that her new friend simply would not talk about her family.

"So how did you end up as a demoness?"

Urd laughed. "That was Marller's fault."

Kayla's eyes widened at the mention of the Demoness First Class, one of Nifelheim's most respected field agents, who, unexpectedly, had turned out to be Urd's childhood friend. This should be good.

-x-x-x-

Hild hid a fond smile as she watched her daughter work at her console. Urd had been shaping up splendidly, her control of her powers advancing as rapidly as her grasp of demonic politics. The later of the two could be clearly seen in the way she managed the room just by her presence. The others looked first to Hild for guidance but then they looked to Urd, not the supervisor, despite the fact that she was the lowest ranked person there.

Ordinarily the lack of control on behalf of the supervisor would have been cause for corrective action, either disciplining the upstart subordinate or promoting her to take the supervisor's place, perhaps both, depending on the circumstances. In this instance, however, it suited her purposes to let matters continue as they were.

In all honesty she should have allowed Urd her full licence long ago. With anyone else she would have insisted – and severely disciplined the demon that held their student back in such a way.

However Urd's power and control were such that she would be summoned to take the First Class exam within weeks of obtaining full status and that was something Urd wasn't ready for. She could cope with the power but she wasn't yet prepared for the ruthlessness of upper level demonic society.

And in her case especially there was an added factor, because attainment of First Class status would mean that Urd had to take up the long delayed position of her Heir, and the council seat that went with it. She would be eaten alive by Coucil power plays, and Hild couldn't protect her then without seriously damaging _both_ of their authorities.

No, the only way she could help her daughter was to ensure that she didn't take her rightful place until she was truly ready for it. If that delayed her assumption of independent status…well, it just gave Hild that much longer to work on her power and control…and their mother-daughter relationship.

A win-win situation really, which was the type of situation she excelled in. So would Urd by the time she was finished with her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Oh My Goddess or any other series that appears in this story (there is one in this chapter but I'm not going to spoil the surprise). Nor am I making any money off this.

**AN:** Despite my best efforts this has been months in coming, for which I sincerely apologise. This chapter was actually a late addition when I realised that there were some elements I'd forgotten entirely, and then I had computer troubles while writing it, which delayed things further.

Sorry for the delay, and enjoy the chapter.

Star

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Urd glanced out of the window, eyes drinking in the view that had become familiar to her as she watched the sunrise. There was a time, she remembered vaguely, when this had been all she knew, when the green fields of heaven were inconceivable to her.

Hild's fortress was built in a remote area of Nifelheim, on the edge of one of the mountain ranges that marked the edges of the territory inhabited by the Greater Demons. Beyond those mountains lay vast, trackless plains inhabited by countless species of lesser demons. It was a place where few ventured, and from which even fewer returned.

The fortress, however, overlooked the inhabited portion of Nifelheim, although this far out from the central cities and Nidhegg 'inhabited' was a loose term. To be honest Urd doubted that there was another demon living within a hundred miles.

Built almost entirely within one of the mountaintops it was a vast rambling structure, only the outer edges of which were inhabited. The interior rooms and corridors were used only for storage, when they were used at all.

The soft brush of wings drew her out of her introspection and Urd looked behind her, smiling.

Even her conversion to a demon hadn't driven away World of Elegance, although any other angel would have been drastically changed by such a transformation, if they had not left or been outright destroyed first. World of Elegance, however, was unique, a reflection of her mistress' soul, and the differences apparently went far deeper than simply the colour of her wings.

Whatever the reason, Urd was glad of her presence. She doubted that she would have coped nearly so well without her angel's support.

Her eyes turning back to the window and the dusty red plains below she opened her mouth and began to sing, World of Elegance's voice joining hers in harmony.

* * *

Hild smiled slightly as she heard her daughter's voice raised in song to greet the sun. It was a habit she had picked up from her sister, she believed, but for the first time the song that she sang wasn't of divine origins. Although just as beautiful, in its own way, the music had a distinct style that marked it as demonic in origin. In fact it was a tune that Hild herself had taught Urd, and one that she had thought her daughter had long since forgotten. It gave her a warm feeling to realise that she was mistaken.

Her eyes narrowed as a second voice joined the first; unsure whether she should be pleased or dismayed by the presence of her daughter's angel. A source of strength and support, yes, she had witnessed that many times over the millennia, with many different gods and goddesses, but a source that no child of hers should require.

And it was a strength that could also be a weakness, both in the perception of other demons and in truth. Hild was all too aware of the spells and beings that could use the link with their angel against a goddess. She had created many of them herself.

She shook her head, dismissing the thought. What was done was done. The angel would not leave voluntarily, that much was clear, and forcefully severing the link would cause more harm than good. There was no point in dwelling on what could not be helped, and the angel may yet prove to be an asset.

However, if she ever decided to free the Angel Eater from its divine prison Urd would definitely not be accompanying her.

* * *

Kayla glanced up as Urd entered the room. The half goddess' power signature was unmistakeable, and she wasn't the only one to stop working momentarily. Most of the other operators looked over as well, returning to their duties only after Urd nodded in greeting.

Needless to say the supervisor didn't look pleased by the clear evidence that she wasn't entirely in control.

"Urd!" yelled the bitch (as she was 'affectionately' called).

"Yes ma'am?"

A folder was shoved into Urd's hands. "You have a field assignment. Get out of here."

The white haired 'trainee' grimaced at the folder and obeyed, turning to leave the way she had come in.

* * *

Urd sighed as she stared at the folder in front of her in disgust, hoping against hope that it would disappear. She had no such luck, however, and eventually she was forced to concede defeat. Reluctantly, she reached out to open the thing.

Unlike Marller this was the part of training that she had hated as a child, and she didn't expect the demonic version to be any better. There was a reason she had chosen to apply for a Category One licence, beyond the fact that she was genuinely good at programming. Despite the fact that she generally did well with the theory she _sucked_ at fieldwork.

"Opportunity for temptation," she read.

So, not as actual wish granting but a chance to lead someone to their side. She grimaced at the thought of harming a relative innocent. At least someone to be granted a wish would have _earned_ their damnation.

"Loss of mother, seeking to take her place, keep her family together …"she muttered, skimming over the summary. "Agent to offer help, secure client's assistance in return. Gradual corruption…"

Fairly standard so far, if longer term than she had expected in a trainee assignment. Although nothing that required her full time presence on Midgard she would have to spend a significant amount of tine there, over what could be a period of years, well past the point when she would hopefully have gained her license.

She turned the page to the client's personal information and froze. She knew that there had to be a catch – there was no way Hild would have given her an _easy_ assignment.

A picture of a smiling child stared up at her. Although the girl was Japanese rather than Norse she resembled Belldandy at that age.

"Kasumi Tendo," Urd read quietly. "Age eleven years two months."

Did Hild really expect her to do this?

The former goddess laughed bitterly. Of course she did. Hild could be a loving mother but no one was immune to her plotting, especially not her daughter.

* * *

Despite her dismal record with fieldwork as a Goddess Hild expected Urd to do quite well in this assignment, assuming she used her brain instead of simply acting. That didn't mean she would find it easy.

Urd lacked the compassion to be a Category One Goddess. No one on either side harboured any illusions to the contrary. Despite her original choice to become a Goddess her daughter's attitude towards others had always been far more demonic in nature. She cared about her family and friends but on some level, like all demons, she regarded those outside her own circle as not quite real. Oh, Urd had always been willing to help them (a deploringly divine trait) but she couldn't _care _for them the way Belldandy, for example, did.

A Category One Demoness, however, wasn't required to care about their target. In fact caring was actually a liability, as it made you less able to exploit them.

Urd would still have difficulty. She didn't care enough for a goddess, but Hild was also aware that she cared more than a demon should.

She would need to get over that. Although Hild herself rarely personally signed contracts with mortals she was the one who chose the targets, on whom the decision ultimately rested. As her daughter Urd would one day have to make the same choices. This mission was just the first step.

* * *

"What's wrong kid?" a friendly voice asked.

Kasumi looked up to see a gaijin woman sit down beside her on the park bench, sympathy in her violet eyes. Despite the fact that she was only in her mid-twenties her hair was pure white, a sharp contrast to deeply tanned skin.

"My mother is gone," she explained, wiping away her tears the handkerchief the woman handed to her. "She died and now father won't stop crying and Nabiki won't talk and Akane is always in the dojo and I don't know what to do!"

Her voice had risen as she spoke until the last part was almost wailed, and Kasumi broke down crying again. The woman simply pulled her into a hug, holding her as she sobbed.

Eventually Kasumi drew away, blushing slightly as she wiped her eyes with the now somewhat sodden handkerchief. She didn't know why she had confided in a complete stranger but for some reason the woman felt safe.

"What do you want to do?" was the quiet question.

"I want things to go back to the way they were before," Kasumi replied wistfully. "I want my mother back."

The woman sighed. "That cannot be done," she said softly. "The dead cannot return to life, and no human can change the past."

"Then I want to help my family," Kasumi replied, sensing that her answer was somehow important. "I want to keep my family together, to help them start living again."

"I can help you with that," the woman told her. "But are you willing to pay the price?"

Kasumi hesitated. "I don't have much money."

Pain showed in violet eyes. "It's not that sort of price."

"I'm willing to do anything, _pay_ anything," Kasumi said recklessly. Anything, to see father return to normal, to see her sisters smile again.

"Even make a deal with a demon?"

Kasumi started at the question, staring at the woman in disbelief as she noticed the red triangles on her face for the first time. Oddly she realised that they had always been there, she just hadn't seen them.

"Think about it," the woman, the demoness, told her, rising from the bench. "We'll speak again later."

Kasumi stared in the direction the woman had left in long after she was out of sight. Then she squeaked as she realised that it was getting late and she had been due home hours ago.

* * *

Urd smiled in amusement as she watched Kasumi run for home. The meeting had gone unexpectedly well, a simple 'trust me' spell combined with the girl's own insecurities leaving her open to her offer. At that age her family mattered more than abstract concepts of right and wrong.

The demoness ruthlessly suppressed the guilt that tried to rise. She had to do this, she rationalised. And besides, she was doing Kasumi more good than harm. She was a good kid. If she remained on guard she should be able to get out of this relatively uncorrupted and with the skills needed to help both herself and her family.

She ignored the little voice that whispered that Hild didn't allow _any_ soul to escape a contract unchanged.

* * *

Kasumi served dinner, hiding her despair behind a mask of serenity. Tonight's food had been donated by Mrs Kino, the next door neighbour, but they couldn't keep relying on handouts and Take-out forever. Unfortunately cooking was one thing she hadn't been interested in before the accident and her few attempts at doing so since had resulted in half-burnt, half-raw vegetables and soggy rice which, even in their distracted states, nobody was willing to eat.

Akane, dressed in a sweat stained gi, merely picked at her food, the once lively nine year old frowning half heartedly. Kasumi sighed as she noticed her sister's bloody knuckles. She had obviously been trying to break blocks in the dojo again.

Nabiki was at least eating, but in absolute silence, her motions holding a chilling precision.

And father…at least he wasn't crying but the lost expression on his face was no better.

'_I can help you,'_ a lightly accented voice echoed in her mind. Would it really be such a bad thing for her to listen? She could always refuse.

* * *

"What are you offering?" Kasumi asked determinedly when she found the demoness waiting for her at the park the next day. With no other way to contact her she had made her way back to the bench where they had first met.

"I'll teach you what you need to know to help your family," Urd replied, motioning for the girl to sit down beside her. "To the best of my abilities. Weekly lessons, starting with the basics – cooking, cleaning."

"And in return?" Kasumi asked, choosing to remain standing. Knowing what the woman truly was – it made her a little uneasy about getting too close.

"For every lesson I give you that helps your family I give you another in entirely different areas. And you use what you learn to help _me_."

"That…that doesn't seem like much." Whatever she could do to help couldn't be all that much, after all. She was only eleven.

The woman smiled. "Time for time."

Oh, that made sense, sort of. "I…"

"You're going to be late again."

Kasumi paled and bowed hurriedly before turning and running, the woman's laughter following her. It was a strangely kind sound for a demon, amused but not mocking.

* * *

Hild frowned thoughtfully as she watched Urd's second encounter with the girl. That was _not_ the way she would have gone about things. It did, however, seem to be working.

By being upfront about herself and her short term intentions she was able to easily hide the long term goal of corrupting the girl, and was gaining her trust in the process, a feat many demons never managed even with long-term clients as naïve as this one.

A small smile crept across her face. While Urd had never lacked for power or ideas her execution had always been sloppy, relying on brute force and luck rather than subtlety. Even if she failed she had shown vast improvement. She was actually thinking things through for once.

* * *

Kayla sighed as she glanced at Urd's usual station. Her friend was still absent on field assignment, and Rayna was living up to her nickname and making all of their lives hell in her absence.

* * *

"I'll do it," Kasumi told her. As in their previous two meetings the pair met at the same bench in the park, Kasumi actually sitting down this time. It was a convenient spot – public enough to put Kasumi at ease but quiet enough to give them some privacy. Which was, of course, why Urd had chosen to continue meeting here rather than somewhere else, although it would have been easy enough to arrange another location.

Urd looked at the young girl, noting the determined look on her face. It made her look even more like Belldandy than usual. Bell-chan wore that exact look when she wanted her to do something.

She pushed aside thoughts of her sister, concentrating on the present situation. "Are you sure? Once you sign there's no backing out."

Please let the kid change her mind. She really didn't want to do this, even if Kasumi's refusal would mean her failing the assignment.

"I'm sure."

She sighed and pulled out a contract from her subspace pocket. "Then you need to sign this."

Kasumi took the contract, turning it to the final page before placing it on the bench so she could sign and reaching into the schoolbag that lay at her feet for a pen. Apparently she had told her father that she was studying with a schoolmate, and brought the bag so he wouldn't get suspicious.

Urd suppressed another sigh, wishing she could tell the girl to read before she signed but that had been strictly forbidden. Instead what came out of her mouth was, "It needs to be in blood."

Kasumi looked at her in shock, withdrawing her hand from the bag. "Why?"

"To be binding a demonic contract needs the magical signature of both parties. Since untrained mortals can't push magic into their writing blood becomes necessary, as it naturally contains a high concentration of magic."

"Oh." It was fairly obvious that Kasumi didn't have a clue what she was talking about. That would change soon enough – some of her lessons would be on basic magic.

Urd held out a quill, summoned from the same place as the contract. "Here, use this. It'll take the blood direct from your veins. No nasty cuts."

Kasumi took the implement gingerly, as if it might bite, and then signed her name on the dotted line, flinching slightly as she did so. The quill might leave no marks but, like most demonic instruments, it wasn't painless to use.

Urd signed her name below with a flourish, accepting the pain as what she was due. Closing the contract she passed her hand over it, duplicating it in a flash of dark light, and gave the copy to Kasumi. "Keep this somewhere safe. I'll meet you here next week for your first lesson."

"Hai, Urd-sensei," the girl replied seriously, slipping the contract in amongst her schoolbooks.

Urd left without replying, hoping she could get home before she broke down.

* * *

Arriving back home Urd ran into the bathroom and retched.

Familiar hands held her hair away from her face and Urd looked up to meet her mother's calm gaze. "Was that really necessary?" she asked weakly, her skin unusually pale.

"Tendo Kasumi is unimportant," Hild admitted, helping her daughter up. "However there is a high probability that in later years she will be in close contact with a Major Nexus. She could be an asset."

Urd paled further, understanding the implications. Nexi were people caused change simply by existing, and Major Nexi inevitably drew Minor Nexi to them. Control of such a Nexus would be a major coup for Nifelheim.

"Why me? Why not someone more experienced?"

"Because you need to learn."

To be ruthless, Urd understood. To do what had to be done regardless of personal feelings or compassion.

"It's hard."

"I know," Hild replied, leading her into the living room.

But her mother's eyes showed a distinct lack of empathy. She might know but understanding was lacking. Compassion was not something Hild felt very often.

And looking into those cold violet eyes, the exact same shade as her own, Urd realised that she would have to harden her own heart as well. She couldn't afford to be seen as weak.

"Sit down," Hild told her. "I'll make you some of my special tea to settle your stomach."

* * *

The next morning the song that rose to meet the dawn was perceptibly sadder, an undertone of pain in the heavenly voice.

Hild sighed slightly as she listened to the sound. It was for the best, no matter how much her daughter might be hurting right now.

* * *

"So I heard you had your first field assignment," Marller said two days later. The Demoness First Class was in Nifelheim to make her monthly report and, as usual, had dropped by to see her before leaving. "How'd it go?"

Urd shrugged uncomfortably. Curled up on one of the two large armchairs in her room the demoness should have seemed relaxed but instead gave the impression of being almost unbearably tense. "I got the contract."

Marller grinned from her position sprawled on the other chair. "Brilliant. I failed my first. Of course, I was a lot younger than you are."

Urd ignored the teasing, causing her best friend to frown in concern and sit up a little straighter.

"Urd, are you alright?"

"Not really," she admitted.

"Want to go get plastered?"

"Probably not a good idea."

Marller's frown deepened. "Come on," she declared, standing up and hauling Urd to her feet. "You need a change of scenery, and I know just the place to go."

Ignoring her friend's half-hearted protests she dragged her out of the room and towards the reception room, the only exit from the fortress Marller was aware of. Urd _definitely _needed to get drunk.

* * *

**One week later**

"This is your home?" Kasumi asked. Although they had met in the park Urd had immediately led her here, to a rather unimpressive apartment building and an apartment that was a lot better looking on the inside than on the outside.

Urd looked around the room. Originally a tiny one room apartment, with an equally tiny bathroom, she had expanded it considerably with the use of a few spells. What was the point in paying rent on a larger place when she had enough money saved to buy this outright and modify it to suite her needs?

A well equipped kitchen now occupied one corner, while a potions lab was set up opposite it, with shielding spells in place to contain any accidents. The remainder of the room was set up as a comfortable sitting/study area, with a screen cordoning off a bedroom area, while a door on the opposite wall led to a similarly expanded bathroom.

It wasn't exactly fancy, but it was more than adequate for their lessons, and would make a good place for her to get away to when home became too much to handle.

"No," she replied in answer to her new student's question. "My home is in Nifelheim. This is where we'll be holding our lessons for the next few years."

"Years?" Kasumi said in surprise.

"There's a lot to teach, and we've only got Saturday afternoons to do it in. I have other duties, and so do you."

"Oh."

"I'll give you a key later, so you can come here when you want. But for now…leave your bag by the door, you won't need it yet. Lesson One: Basic Cooking."

Kasumi stared at the flowery apron Urd held out in shock, while the demoness suppressed a laugh. She had deliberately chosen the most hideous pattern she could find.

She wasn't up to Bellldandy's standards but she could cook. She just didn't like wasting her time doing so - she'd much rather be making potions - and if she had to suffer so did her student.

* * *

Urd sighed as she watched Kasumi leave from the window of her apartment, the results of her cooking in a casserole for the family to eat for dinner.

The girl was so innocent, and she was going to have to shatter that very shortly. She had already begun to explain the basic facts of Demons and Kami while they were cooking.

Perhaps by the end of this Kasumi would still hold on to some fragments of that innocence but she wasn't going to bet on it. Demons rarely managed to do so, and neither did those associated with them. Only Divine beings and unaware mortals had that luxury.

World of Elegance emerged to hug her from behind, attempting to comfort her goddess.

"Let's go home," she told the angel eventually.

* * *

"Enjoy your break?" Kayla teased when Urd arrived for her shift. She had been granted a week off for successfully completing the mission but that had ended yesterday with Kasumi's first lesson, which meant that today it was back to work.

The white haired demon smiled as she sat down at her station and turned on the virtual monitors, although a more perceptive audience than Kayla would have realised that it didn't quite make her eyes.

"Of course," she replied, calling up the first file. "Easy as Pi."

* * *

**AN2:** Yes, this chapter is a crossover with Ranma ½. Kasumi making a demonic contract is a little unusual though, I bet. 


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Okay the delay on this has been absolutely ridiculous and I apologise for that. Partly that's because I simply lost interest in OMG for a while and am only now getting back into it. In addition this chapter was an absolute _pain_ to write and I'm _still_ not entirely satisfied with it.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

Urd held up a flask of faintly glowing blue liquid, examining it critically before taking a cautious sniff. Nodding in satisfaction she then took a single drop and placed it carefully in the analyser before closing the lid and turning it on.

As she waited for the results she remembered how enthusiastic Skuld had been when making the machine, and how annoyed she'd been when she realised that Urd had tricked her. The demoness smiled wistfully at the thought, wondering how her sisters were doing. Her recent training of Kasumi had only intensified her longing to see them, being so close to them and yet so far. As a trainee her actions on Midgard were closely monitored. Even had she _not_ been expressly forbidden from contacting her siblings taking a detour to Nekomi would get her into serious trouble.

An insistent beeping pulled her out of her thoughts and Urd studied the results for the potion she had just created with a critical eye. Satisfied that they were all within acceptable parameters she began to weave a familiar spell of her own making.

Under her control the potion rose from its container, separating as it did so into individual globules, each containing a single does. Then they began to crystallise, forming clear, hard shells around a liquid centre.

Pleased with the result Urd gestured slightly and the spheres settled into a glass jar which she then sealed with the ease of long practice. Sticking on a label with the name of the contents and instructions for use she then placed the jar inside a padded container which already contained several other potions in both liquid and crystallised form.

She glanced over at the shelves, a slight frown on her face. Her recent work for Mission Supply, while profitable, had seriously depleted her stocks of ingredients. She only hoped that she could find replacements in Nifelheim, or she would have to seek special permission to obtain them elsewhere. And while she'd been getting on better with her mother recently that didn't mean Hild wouldn't extract a price for her request.

* * *

A week later Urd sighed as she left the last potion store in Nifelheim. While she had been able to find most of the ingredients she wanted some of the more unusual ones had been impossible to obtain.

The problem lay in the fact that the realm a plant was grown in could affect its properties in unexpected ways, some of them subtle, others not so much. For example while Midgard grown Hemlock was a poison if grown in Nifelheim it made, when combined with certain other ingredients, a rather potent love potion.

It was possible to mimic the effects by filtering the relative levels of mana and pishogue that reached the growing plants but unfortunately it seemed that none of the local potions stores bothered to do so. Rather short sighted of them really but then again few studied potions seriously and even fewer had her level of skill.

Unfortunately knowing that didn't get her the ingredients she needed.

Which left only her solution of last resort.

* * *

Two streaks of light twisted across the sky, smaller streaks passing between them as the red gradually gained on the blue. Finally the blue was hit, and began to fall, as the red disappeared entirely.

Falling towards the ground, only half conscious, Peorth hoped that Belldandy and Skuld would be able to cope with what was coming.

* * *

"Potions ingredients?" Hild asked in surprise. Of all the things she had expected her daughter to ask this was not one of them. "Can't you get what you need here?"

The reply was a pained grimace. "I've looked."

Judging by Urd's tone of voice she had looked for so long she was thoroughly sick of the process.

"Very well," she conceded. "You may use Saturday afternoon after your lesson with Kasumi to search for your ingredients. I'll excuse you from lessons to do so."

Urd looked surprised by her generosity. "Thank you, Hild -sama."

A little annoyed by Urd's tendency to avoid calling her mother Hild added, "I'll expect you to make up the time on Sunday."

The resulting groan cheered her up considerably.

* * *

In the Morisato residence an otherwise normal morning had been interrupted by an unexpected phone call.

Skuld listened carefully to the voice on the other end of the line, her expression becoming more and more serious as it continued.

"Onee-san I've been called back to Asgard," she reported when she hung up.

"Just you?"

"Hai. It's a minor problem with Yggdrasil, that's all."

"Alright then. But call me if you need any help."

"I will, Onee-sama."

As she dived into the portal she created in the pond Skuld wished, for once, that Urd was here. While her oldest sister was annoying she was pretty good with a computer. She could use the backup on this one.

* * *

Keiichi watched the kid suspiciously. He had appeared only minutes after Skuld had left and if it wasn't for his age he would _swear_ the boy was flirting with Belldandy.

It was downright odd. He seemed to know her but she didn't have a clue who he was.

The mechanic was glad of the excuse of being late for work, allowing them to get away from the boy.

"Jealous?" the kid asked as they left.

Not really. He was too worried for that. Something felt off.

* * *

Urd smiled sadly as she watched Kasumi carefully draw a rune over the cauldron, her young student's face a mask of concentration. Although invisible to mortal eyes, save those of the most spiritually adept, the faint strands of magic that gathered within the vessel were quite clear to the demoness.

While it would, as was normal for mortals, take many years for the girl to build up any significant reserves of power Kasumi had otherwise proved an adept pupil. Although weak the spell was impressively well formed for a raw beginner and she had taken to Urd's beloved potions as if she had been taught from birth.

And Urd had the years to wait. Kasumi's contract stated that any aid her lessons gave to her family (defined as her father and sisters) must be repaid by giving equal aid to Urd. While it might seem fairly innocuous in principle it was far from it and the balance fell decidedly on the demon's side. Every meal Kasumi cooked, every time she cleaned the house, washed the clothes or slipped one of her family one of the basic healing potions Urd had taught her to make only added to her debt. Her teacher was not looking forward to the day Kasumi realised this. It would undoubtedly mean the end of the pleasant relationship they had been building. Which was a pity because she liked the kid.

Deliberately turning away from such gloomy thoughts Urd frowned thoughtfully, determined to make the most of the time she had. Perhaps she should take Kasumi with her when she went to harvest the ingredients she needed? It would give her some practical experience and at the same time introduce her to magical transport, which might be useful someday.

After a moment of further consideration she shook her head. No, it was too early for that.

At that moment the phone rang, causing Kasumi to flinch and mess up the final stroke of the rune. Shaken out of her thoughts Urd moved to answer the call, even as Kasumi's potion exploded with a muffled boom, sending plumes of thick smoke into the air.

Picking up the phone she absently cast a spell to clear the smoke, even as Kasumi opened a window.

"Hello?"

There was a moment's silence, in which she could hear what sounded like inhumanly fast paced whispering before someone spoke. "Urd, have we sorted out the time differential?" Kayla asked urgently.

_Time differential?_ "What time differential?" She'd felt _something_ strange in the air but if Midgard time was drifting...

Kayla interrupted that thought before she could think through the problems it would cause. "Good. We need you back here, now,"

Urd suddenly had a very bad feeling about this. "Details?" she asked urgently.

"Someone on our side has hacked Yggdrassil and is slowing time on Midgard drastically. Hild-sama wants you back here, pronto."

Urd paled. "Hai."

This was bad, really bad. If her mother not only wanted her back on duty but had taken charge personally…

She placed the phone back on the hook, and began to summon her power, not bothering to seek an appropriate medium but instead using raw force to create a passageway. It was inefficient and would alert every magic user within a ten mile radius to her presence but time was of the essence.

"Kasumi, clean this up and go home," she ordered, before disappearing, Kasumi's notes rustling as air rushed in to fill the space she had once occupied.

* * *

Urd entered the control room to find a scene of organised chaos. Every station was occupied, operators staring intently at the screens in front of them as their fingers flew over the keyboards, while others frantically called in those demons on Midgard, under the stern gaze of the supervisor, who had descended from her chair to move frantically between the stations.

The centre of the room was completely dominated by Hild, multiple screens floating around her as her hands moved at a blur, occasionally barking out orders. So intent was she on her activities that her voice lacked its usual edge of barely repressed maliciousness.

"Urd-chan, get up here!" she barked when Urd stepped inside. She gestured to the empty chair near her, which usually belonged to the supervisor. "I want you to link with Yggdrasil and stabilise the time flow."

"Hai, Hild-sama!"

* * *

The noise of the control room faded from her perception as Urd focused all her attention on the screen in front of her, where the complex codes that defined the functions of both Yggdrassil and Nidhegg stretched out in all their complexity.

With the ease of long practice she negotiated her way through the miles of coding, searching for the anomaly that would…

There!

A virus, the trail it left behind clearly visible to one as familiar with the systems as she was…

"Urd!" Hild snapped. "We will trace the source. Get the time flow stabilised."

"H…hai," Urd stuttered, brought out of her trance as she turned away from the virus's path to deal with its effects

* * *

Peorth glared at the little brat of a demon who had hacked Yggdrasil's files, attacked her and nearly killed Keiichi. If she had been just seconds later...

"Tell me," she demanded once the obligatory explanations were past. "Why did you alter time?"

"Actually I didn't particularly _want_ to alter time," he admitted casually, hands in his pockets.

"Then... what were you...?" All this was a _side effect?_

"I was waiting." He withdrew his hand from his pocket, revealing a surprisingly innocuous device, a simple cylinder with a button on the end. "Waiting for my virus to spread to the furthest reaches of the system."

Holding the device up high he pressed the button.

"What have you done?" Whatever it was she knew it couldn't be good.

* * *

Skuld felt like screaming in frustration as the files locked on her one by one. Where was Peorth? She'd even settle for Urd, _anyone_ who could help right now. She couldn't stabilise the time flow _and_ unlock the files at the same time.

"Need a hand, brat?" a familiar voice asked as a screen opened to her left to display an image of her oldest sister.

Speak of the devil…

"Urd! What are you doing here? I need to concentrate."

"Helping," was the grim reply, Urd's fingers flying over her keyboard even as she spoke. "Nidhegg as been compromised but it's not in nearly as bad shape as Yggdrassil. Hild-sama is tracking down the perpetrator. You concentrate on getting Yggrasil operational, I'llsynchronise the systems and use Nidhegg to manage the time flow."

"But…" Skuld protested, rather thrown by the abrupt reappearance of a sister that she hadn't seen in over a year.

"Just do it Skuld," Urd ordered, eyes narrowing. "Argue later."

"H…hai," Skuld stuttered, as Urd's expression momentarily echoed her mother at her most frightening.

* * *

"Sorry kiddo, times up for you," Peorth declared, grabbing hold of the demon boy from behind.

He seemed completely unconcerned by this, turning his head to look at her. "Actually...when I hacked into the system I found a very interesting program so I swiped it."

Peorth blinked at the apparent change of topic. "So?"

His wrist twisted round in hers and suddenly Peorth could feel herself shrinking, his hand slipping out of hers as she fell to her knees.

"The power to reverse time," he said triumphantly.

Peorth glared at him, one arm over her chest to keep her clothes up. "So what?" she said defiantly. "If you think you've won you're wrong!" She thrust her hand into the air. "Come forth, La Rose Manifique!"

There was complete silence for a moment then Peorth's expression faltered. Oh... right... She didn't have enough power to summon an angel in her current form.

* * *

Skuld glanced over to the screen that showed Urd working, and blinked in shock as she saw the image of her oldest sister surrounded by programming code, manipulating it too fast for her to follow.

She stared for a moment in awe, finally understanding why it was her often lazy and rarely serious half-sister had gained the exulted position of Administrator for the entire Yggdrasil System, as she saw Urd's full capabilities for the first time.

"Sugoi," she said softly before returning to her own work.

* * *

Belldandy had thrown herself in front of the spell to save Keiichi but as she watched him argue with the demon she realised that deaging her had had another effect.

She smiled gently as she recalled that long ago day when they had first met.

"Thou who art with me always," she whispered, her voice gradually growing stronger as she continued, "Guardian of Shadow, Guardian of Light."

She had been a child, walking up the long stairway to the room where he waited for her, the chamber in which they would be bound together as doublets, part of the pact that kept Heaven and Hell from outright war.

Both children, one Goddess, one Demon, with a gift for working with winds. The closest of strangers, the most distant of twins.

And the doublet pact had not been the only promise made that day.

Her smile brightened as she remembered. "Welsper!"

And before her was no longer the child but the man.

* * *

Skuld looked up from her screen at the sound of beeping.

"The files," she said in relief and awe as the displays began to clear. "They're opening!"

Around her the other gods and goddesses began to cheer.

* * *

"The time subsystem is returning to normal," Urd reported, as cheers came through the communications channel from Yggdrasil.

"Disengage the Systems," Hild ordered. "I have the culprit." She smiled suddenly, mischievously. "It seems that your sister has another admirer."

Urd groaned as she began the complex process of disentangling Nidhegg from its divine counterpart.

"Marller, Loki, arrest the First Class Demon Welsper for infringement upon the Yggdrassil system. You will find him at the Nekomi Temple," Hild ordered.

The demons in question, recalled temporarily from Midgard in response to the crisis, bowed in response and left the room.

* * *

"At least the deaging spell isn't permanent," Belldandy pointed out helpfully as Peorth prepared to return to Asgard. "At this rate we should be back to normal within a few days."

The now adolescent Peorth grimaced. "Oui," she admitted grudgingly.

* * *

Urd stood in the shadows at the far side of the courtroom, watching as Hild declared sentence on Welsper. Strictly speaking she wasn't supposed to be present at a sealed hearing but her mother had ordered it, and she was curious enough that she might have sneaked in anyway. It wasn't every day that a demon nearly destroyed existence just so that they wouldn't forget her younger sister, based only on a brief meeting as a child.

"For infringement upon Paragraph One, Clause Four of demonic law…First Class Demon Welsper, you are stripped of your power and sentenced to reincarnation as a Class Four Lifeform," the Daimakaicho decreed. "However, given that you have freely admitted to your crime, you may, if you wish, choose your reincarnation."

Urd almost laughed aloud at the answer Welsper gave.

"So what do you think?" Hild asked from beside her.

Urd blinked, looking between the two versions of her mother. While she was used to split-forms, and indeed was more adept at them than almost everyone she knew, she had almost never seen two full-sized, adult versions of a person at the same time. It just took far too much power to accomplish for it to be practical for anyone _but_ Hild (and Kami-sama, of course).

"Well?"

She returned her thoughts to the topic at hand. "I think he's up to something," she replied.

Hild smiled. "Of course he is, Urd-chan. The question is, how entertaining will it be?" There was a twinkle in her mother's eyes, the kind of look she got when she was about to let the cat loose amongst the pigeons, just so she could see how much damage it would cause.

"I'm sure we'll find out in due time."

Hild sighed. "So serious, Urd-chan." Then her own expression sobered as she watched the scene in front of them.

"I'm giving you control of the time based programmes Welsper created," she said, even as her other self banished the demon in question to Midgard. "They fall under your domain, after all. Other than myself you will be the only one to have access to them."

"Hai," Urd replied seriously. That showed a lot of trust on her mother's part – those programmes could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hands.

"The ability to reverse an individual's aging permanently could be useful," Hild pointed out. "Although even the current short-term version was quite effective."

Urd nodded thoughtfully. While the effects were temporary the spell had rendered Peorth almost useless in the fight between Welsper and the goddesses. If that period could be extended…. A small smile graced her features as her mind began working through the challenge, ignoring the small part of her that screamed she shouldn't be thinking of ways to help Hild. It was a part of her that grew smaller every time she faced that situation.

"It will take time," she said eventually.

Hild smiled. "There's no need to rush," she replied easily.

* * *

"You saw Nee-san?" Belldandy asked.

Skuld nodded.

"How is she?" Keiichi interjected.

"She seemed fine," Skuld replied. "But I can't believe she managed to synchronise Nidhegg with Yggdrasil. Was she always that good?"

Belldandy nodded solemnly. "Hai. If anyone other than Father and Hild-sama were capable of such a feat it would be Nee-san. After all, she was responsible for much of the basic programming of Yggdrasil in the first place."

Skuld's eyes widened in surprise. "Urd? Really?" Despite what she had witnessed today it was hard to connect that information with her memories of the sister that she constantly fought with.

* * *

With Welsper dealt with and the spell safely secured Urd was eventually able to get on with her original task – finding those ingredients. To that effect she had come to a remote area of wilderness in North America.

She smiled, feeling the odd tingle of static mana as she passed through the edge of the concealment spell. She had set up this area shortly after she had been banished to Earth for meddling with Yggdrasil. Knowing that her opportunities to renew her supplies of Asgard and Nifelheim grown plants would be limited as long as she was confined to Earth she had set about to grow her own.

In front of her stood three greenhouses, each of them carefully spelled to replicate specific conditions.

The first was by far the simplest, the spells solely concerned with modifying the temperature, humidity and soil to produce the optimum growing conditions for her Midgard based plants. The other two had the same enchantments, combined with a far more complex set of spells that replicated the mana and pishogue conditions in Asgard and Nifelheim, carefully filtering and concentrating them as required.

Walking over to the Asgard greenhouse Urd let herself inside and walked through the rows of greenery to the storeroom at the back, smiling in approval. Tended by a family of brownies that she had struck a bargain with they remained in top condition despite her long absence, the plants harvested since her last visit stored carefully in the jars she had provided for them.

Carefully placing the full jars she needed in the storage basket she had brought with her Urd replaced them with empty ones before placing a second basket containing the payment she owed the brownies on the table in the centre of the room.

Leaving as silently as she came she made her way towards the next greenhouse. She may as well stock up on all her ingredients while she was here. It could be some time before she next got the chance to do so.

* * *

**AN 2:**_ Way _too introspective and more or less filler - although I've tried to show how Urd's personality has been changing during her time in Nifelheim. Still, I'm sure you can guess why I'm not entirely happy. Hopefully next chapter will be better - it's 2/3 written and fully plotted so I'll try not to leave it so long before updating again.


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